Garden bean named hmx5106

ABSTRACT

A novel garden bean cultivar, designated HMX5106, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of garden bean cultivar HMX5106, to the plants of garden bean line HMX5106, and to methods for producing a bean plant by crossing the cultivar HMX5106 with itself or another bean line. The invention further relates to methods for producing a bean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic plants produced by that method and to methods for producing other garden bean lines derived from the cultivar HMX5106.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to six new and distinctive garden beancultivars (Phaseolus vulgaris) designated HMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129,HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The disclosures, including the claims, figures and/or drawings, of eachand every patent, patent application, and publication cited herein arehereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The following description includes information that may be useful inunderstanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any ofthe information provided herein is prior art or relevant to thepresently claimed inventions, or that any publication specifically orimplicitly referenced is prior art.

There are numerous steps in the development of any novel, desirableplant germplasm. Plant breeding begins with the analysis and definitionof problems and weaknesses of the current germplasm, the establishmentof program goals, and the definition of specific breeding objectives.The next step is selection of germplasm that possesses the traits tomeet the program goals. The goal is to combine in a single variety animproved combination of desirable traits from the parental germplasm.

In beans, these important traits may include fresh pod yield, higherseed yield, resistance to diseases and insects, better stems and roots,tolerance to drought and heat, and better agronomic quality. Withmechanical harvesting of many crops, uniformity of plant characteristicssuch as germination and stand establishment, growth rate, maturity andplant height is important.

Choice of breeding or selection methods depends on the mode of plantreproduction, the heritability of the trait(s) being improved, and thetype of cultivar used commercially (e.g., F₁ hybrid cultivar, purelinecultivar, etc.). For highly heritable traits, a choice of superiorindividual plants evaluated at a single location may be effective,whereas for traits with low heritability, selection should be based onmean values obtained from replicated evaluations of families of relatedplants. Popular selection methods commonly include pedigree selection,modified pedigree selection, mass selection, recurrent selection andbackcross breeding.

The complexity of inheritance influences choice of the breeding method.Backcross breeding is used to transfer one or a few favorable genes fora highly heritable trait into a desirable cultivar. This approach hasbeen used extensively for breeding disease-resistant cultivars.Nevertheless, it is also suitable for the adjustment and selection ofmorphological character, color characteristics and simply inheritedquantitative characters. Various recurrent selection techniques are usedto improve quantitatively inherited traits controlled by numerous genes.The use of recurrent selection in self-pollinating crops depends on theease of pollination, the frequency of successful hybrids from eachpollination and the number of hybrid offspring from each successfulcross.

Each breeding program should include a periodic, objective evaluation ofthe efficiency of the breeding procedure. Evaluation criteria varydepending on the goal and objectives, but should include gain fromselection per year based on comparisons to an appropriate standard,overall value of the advanced breeding lines, and number of successfulcultivars produced per unit of input (e.g., per year, per dollarexpended, etc.).

Promising advanced breeding lines are thoroughly tested and compared toappropriate standards in environments representative of the commercialtarget area(s) for three or more years. The best lines are candidatesfor new commercial cultivars. Those still deficient in a few traits maybe used as parents to produce new populations for further selection.

These processes, which lead to the final step of marketing anddistribution, usually take from eight to twelve years from the time thefirst cross is made. Therefore, development of new cultivars is atime-consuming process that requires precise forward planning, efficientuse of resources, and a minimum of changes in direction.

A most difficult task is the identification of individuals that aregenetically superior, because for most traits the true genotypic valueis masked by other confounding plant traits or environmental factors.One method of identifying a superior plant is to observe its performancerelative to other experimental plants and/or to a widely grown standardcultivar. If a single observation is inconclusive, replicatedobservations provide a better estimate of its genetic worth.

The goal of garden bean plant breeding is to develop new, unique andsuperior garden bean cultivars. The breeder initially selects andcrosses two or more parental lines, followed by repeated selfing andselection, producing many new genetic combinations. Another method usedto develop new and unique bean cultivar occurs when the bean breederselects and crosses parental varieties followed by haploid induction andchromosome doubling that result in the development of dihaploidcultivars. The breeder can theoretically generate billions of differentgenetic combinations via crossing, selfing and mutations and the same istrue for the utilization of the dihaploid breeding method.

Each year, the plant breeder selects the germplasm to advance to thenext generation. This germplasm is grown under unique and differentgeographical, climatic and soil conditions and further selections arethen made during and at the end of the growing season. The cultivarsthat are developed are unpredictable. This unpredictability is becausethe breeder's selection occurs in unique environments with no control atthe DNA level (using conventional breeding procedures or dihaploidbreeding procedures), and with millions of different possible geneticcombinations being generated. A breeder of ordinary skill in the artcannot predict the final resulting lines he develops, except possibly ina very gross and general fashion. This unpredictability results in theexpenditure of large amounts of research monies to develop superior newgarden bean cultivars.

The development of new garden bean cultivars requires the developmentand selection of garden bean varieties, the crossing of these varietiesand the evaluation of the crosses.

Pedigree breeding and recurrent selection breeding methods are used todevelop cultivars from breeding populations. Breeding programs combinedesirable traits from two or more cultivars or various broad-basedsources into breeding pools from which cultivars of desired phenotypesare developed by selfing and selection or through the dihaploid breedingmethod.

Pedigree breeding is used commonly for the improvement ofself-pollinating crops or inbred lines of cross-pollinating crops. Twoparents that possess favorable, complementary traits are crossed toproduce an F₁. An F₂ population is produced by selfing one or severalF₁s or by intercrossing two F₁s (sib mating). The dihaploid breedingmethod could also be used. Selection of the best individuals may beginin the F₂ population; then, beginning in the F₃, the best individuals inthe best families are selected. Replicated testing of families, orhybrid combinations involving individuals of these families, oftenfollows in the F₄ generation to improve the effectiveness of selectionfor traits with low heritability. At an advanced stage of inbreeding(i.e., F₆ and F₇), the best lines or mixtures of phenotypically similarlines are tested for potential release as new cultivars.

Mass and recurrent selections can be used to improve populations ofeither self- or cross-pollinating crops. A genetically variablepopulation of heterozygous individuals is either identified, or created,by intercrossing several different parents. The best plants are selectedbased on individual superiority, outstanding progeny, or excellentcombining ability. The selected plants are intercrossed to produce a newpopulation in which further cycles of selection are continued.

Backcross breeding has been used to transfer genes for a simplyinherited, highly heritable trait into a desirable homozygous cultivaror inbred line which is the recurrent parent. The source of the trait tobe transferred is called the donor parent. The resulting plant isexpected to have the attributes of the recurrent parent (e.g., cultivar)and the desirable trait transferred from the donor parent. After theinitial cross, individuals possessing the phenotype of the donor parentare selected and repeatedly crossed (backcrossed) to the recurrentparent. The resulting plant is expected to have the attributes of therecurrent parent (e.g., cultivar) and the desirable trait transferredfrom the donor parent.

The single-seed descent procedure in the strict sense refers to plantinga segregating population, harvesting a sample of one seed per plant, andusing the one-seed sample to plant the next generation. When thepopulation has been advanced from the F₂ to the desired level ofinbreeding, the plants from which lines are derived will each trace todifferent F₂ individuals. The number of plants in a population declineseach generation due to failure of some seeds to germinate or some plantsto produce at least one seed. As a result, not all of the F₂ plantsoriginally sampled in the population will be represented by a progenywhen generation advance is completed.

In a multiple-seed procedure, garden bean breeders commonly harvest oneor more pods from each plant in a population and thresh them together toform a bulk. Part of the bulk is used to plant the next generation andpart is put in reserve. The procedure has been referred to as modifiedsingle-seed descent or the pod-bulk technique.

The multiple-seed procedure has been used to save labor at harvest. Itis considerably faster to thresh pods with a machine than to remove oneseed from each by hand for the single-seed procedure. The multiple-seedprocedure also makes it possible to plant the same number of seeds of apopulation each generation of inbreeding. Enough seeds are harvested tomake up for those plants that did not germinate or produce seed.

Descriptions of other breeding methods that are commonly used fordifferent traits and crops can be found in one of several referencebooks (e.g., R. W. Allard, 1960, Principles of Plant Breeding, JohnWiley and Son, pp. 115-161; N. W. Simmonds, 1979, Principles of CropImprovement, Longman Group Limited; W. R. Fehr, 1987; Principles of CropDevelopment, Macmillan Publishing Co.; N. F. Jensen, 1988, PlantBreeding Methodology, John Wiley & Sons).

Proper testing should detect any major faults and establish the level ofsuperiority or improvement over current cultivars. In addition toshowing superior performance, there must be a demand for a new cultivarthat is compatible with industry standards or which creates a newmarket. The introduction of a new cultivar will incur additional coststo the seed producer, the grower, processor and consumer for specialadvertising and marketing, altered seed and commercial productionpractices, and new product utilization. The testing preceding release ofa new cultivar should take into consideration research and developmentcosts as well as technical superiority of the final cultivar. Forseed-propagated cultivars, it must be feasible to produce seed easilyand economically.

Garden bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L., is an important and valuablevegetable crop. Thus, a continuing goal of garden bean plant breeders isto develop stable, high yielding garden bean cultivars that areagronomically sound. The reasons for this goal are obviously to maximizethe amount of yield produced on the land. To accomplish this goal, thegarden bean breeder must select and develop garden bean plants that havetraits that result in superior cultivars.

The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations relatedtherewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Otherlimitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill inthe art upon a reading of the specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described inconjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to beexemplary, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more ofthe above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated, whileother embodiments are directed to other improvements.

According to the invention, there is provided six novel garden beancultivars designated HMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/orHMX5108. This invention thus relates to the seeds of garden beancultivars HMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108, tothe plants or part(s) thereof of garden bean cultivars HMX4101, HMX4127,HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108, to plants or part(s) thereofconsisting essentially of the phenotypic and morphologicalcharacteristics of garden bean cultivars HMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129,HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108, and/or having all the phenotypic andmorphological characteristics of garden bean cultivars HMX4101, HMX4127,HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108, and/or having the phenotypicand morphological characteristics of garden bean cultivars HMX4101,HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108 listed in Table 1, 2,3, 4, 5 and 6, respectively, including but not limited to as determinedat the 5% significance level when grown in the same environmentalconditions. The invention also relates to variants, mutants and trivialmodifications of the seed or plant of garden bean cultivars HMX4101,HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108. Plant parts of thegarden bean cultivar of the present invention are also provided such as,i.e., pollen obtained from the plant cultivar and an ovule obtained fromthe plant cultivar.

The plants and seeds of the present invention include those that may beof an essentially derived variety as defined in section 41(3) of thePlant Variety Protection Act, i.e., a variety that:

(i) is predominantly derived from garden bean cultivars HMX4101,HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108 or from a variety thatis predominantly derived from garden bean cultivars HMX4101, HMX4127,HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108, while retaining the expressionof the essential characteristics that result from the genotype orcombination of genotypes of garden bean cultivars HMX4101, HMX4127,HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108;

(ii) is clearly distinguishable from garden bean cultivars HMX4101,HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108; and

(iii) except for differences that result from the act of derivation,conforms to the initial variety in the expression of the essentialcharacteristics that result from the genotype or combination ofgenotypes of the initial variety.

In another aspect, the present invention provides regenerable cells foruse in tissue culture of bean cultivars HMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129,HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108. The tissue culture will preferably becapable of regenerating plants consisting essentially of the phenotypicand morphological characteristics of garden bean cultivars HMX4101,HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108, and/or having all thephenotypic and morphological characteristics of garden bean cultivarsHMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108, and/orhaving the phenotypic and morphological characteristics of garden beancultivars HMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108.Preferably, the cells of such tissue culture will be embryos,meristematic cells, seeds, callus, pollen, leaves, anthers, pistils,roots, root tips, pods, flowers and stems. Protoplasts produced fromsuch tissue culture are also included in the present invention. The beanshoots, roots and whole plants regenerated from the tissue culture arealso part of the invention.

Also included in the invention are methods for producing a bean plantproduced by crossing bean cultivars HMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106,HMX5107 and/or HMX5108 with itself or another bean cultivar. Whencrossed with itself, i.e., when HMX4101 is crossed with another beancultivar HMX4101 plant or self-pollinated, when HMX4127 is crossed withanother bean cultivar HMX4127 plant or self-pollinated, when HMX4129 iscrossed with another bean cultivar HMX4129 plant or self-pollinated,when HMX5106 is crossed with another bean cultivar HMX5106 plant orself-pollinated, when HMX5107 is crossed with another bean cultivarHMX5107 plant or self-pollinated, when HMX5108 is crossed with anotherbean cultivar HMX5108 plant or self-pollinated, bean cultivars HMX4101,HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108, respectively will beconserved (e.g., as an inbred). When crossed with another, differentbean plant, an F₁ hybrid seed is produced. F₁ hybrid seeds and plantsproduced by growing said hybrid seeds are included in the presentinvention. A method for producing an F₁ hybrid bean seed comprisingcrossing a bean cultivar HMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107and/or HMX5108 plant with a different bean plant and harvesting theresultant hybrid bean seed are also part of the invention. The hybridbean seed produced by the method comprising crossing a bean cultivarHMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108 plant with adifferent bean plant and harvesting the resultant hybrid bean seed, areincluded in the invention, as are the hybrid bean plant or part(s)thereof, and seeds produced by growing said hybrid bean seed.

In another aspect, the present invention provides transformed HMX4101,HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108 bean cultivar plantsor part(s) thereof that have been transformed so that its geneticmaterial contains one or more transgenes, preferably operably linked toone or more regulatory elements. Also, the invention provides methodsfor producing a bean plant containing in its genetic material one ormore transgenes, preferably operably linked to one or more regulatoryelements, by crossing transformed HMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106,HMX5107 and/or HMX5108 bean cultivar plants with either a second plantof another bean cultivar, or a non-transformed HMX4101, HMX4127,HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108 bean cultivar, so that thegenetic material of the progeny that results from the cross contains thetransgene(s), preferably operably linked to one or more regulatoryelements. The invention also provides methods for producing a bean plantthat contains in its genetic material one or more transgene(s), whereinthe method comprises crossing the cultivars HMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129,HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108 with a second bean cultivar of anotherbean cultivar which contains one or more transgene(s) operably linked toone or more regulatory element(s) so that the genetic material of theprogeny that results from the cross contains the transgene(s) operablylinked to one or more regulatory element(s). Transgenic bean cultivars,or part(s) thereof produced by the methods are in the scope of thepresent invention.

More specifically, the invention comprises methods for producing a malesterile bean plant, an herbicide resistant bean plant, an insectresistant bean plant, a disease resistant bean plant, a water stresstolerant bean plant, a heat stress tolerant bean plant, and a bean plantwith improved shelf-life and a bean plant with delayed senescence. Saidmethods comprise transforming a bean cultivar selected from HMX4101,HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and HMX5108 plants with a nucleicacid molecule that confers, for example, male sterility, herbicideresistance, insect resistance, disease resistance, water stresstolerance, heat stress tolerance, improved shelf life or delayedsenescence, respectively. The transformed bean plants, or part(s)thereof, obtained from the provided methods, including, for example, amale sterile bean plant, an herbicide resistant bean plant, an insectresistant bean plant, a disease resistant bean plant, a bean planttolerant to water stress, a bean plant tolerant to heat stress, a beanplant with improved shelf-life or a bean plant with delayed senescenceare included in the present invention. For the present invention and theskilled artisan, disease is understood to be fungal diseases, viraldiseases, bacterial diseases or other plant pathogenic diseases and adisease resistant plant will encompass a plant resistant to fungal,viral, bacterial and other plant pathogens.

In another aspect, the present invention provides for methods ofintroducing one or more desired trait(s) into bean cultivars HMX4101,HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108 and plants obtainedfrom such methods. The desired trait(s) may be, but not exclusively, asingle gene, preferably a dominant but also a recessive allele.Preferably, the transferred gene or genes will confer such traits asmale sterility, herbicide resistance, insect resistance, resistance tobacterial, fungal, or viral disease, increased leaf number, improvedshelf-life, delayed senescence and tolerance to water stress or heatstress. The gene or genes may be naturally occurring gene(s) ortransgene(s) introduced through genetic engineering techniques. Themethod for introducing the desired trait(s) is preferably a backcrossingprocess making use of a series of backcrosses to bean cultivars HMX4101,HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108 during which thedesired trait(s) is maintained by selection.

When using a transgene, the trait is generally not incorporated intoeach newly developed line/cultivar such as bean cultivars HMX4101,HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108 by directtransformation. Rather, the more typical method used by breeders ofordinary skill in the art to incorporate the transgene is to take a linealready carrying the transgene and to use such line as a donor line totransfer the transgene into the newly developed line. The same wouldapply for a naturally occurring trait or one arising from spontaneous orinduced mutations. The backcross breeding process of HMX4101 comprisesthe following steps: (a) crossing bean cultivars HMX4101 plants withplants of another cultivar that comprise the desired trait(s); (b)selecting the F₁ progeny plants that have the desired trait(s); (c)crossing the selected F₁ progeny plants with bean cultivars HMX4101plants to produce backcross progeny plants; (d) selecting for backcrossprogeny plants that have the desired trait(s) and physiological andmorphological characteristics of bean cultivars HMX4101 to produceselected backcross progeny plants; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d)one, two, three, four, five six, seven, eight, nine, or more times insuccession to produce selected, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth,seventh, eighth, ninth, or higher backcross progeny plants that consistessentially of the phenotypic and morphological characteristics of beancultivars HMX4101 and/or have all the phenotypic and morphologicalcharacteristics of bean cultivars HMX4101 and/or have the desiredtrait(s) and the physiological and morphological characteristics of beancultivars HMX4101 as determined in Table 1, including but not limited toat a 5% significance level when grown in the same environmentalconditions. The backcross breeding process of HMX4127 comprises thefollowing steps: (a) crossing bean cultivars HMX4127 plants with plantsof another cultivar that comprise the desired trait(s); (b) selectingthe F₁ progeny plants that have the desired trait(s); (c) crossing theselected F₁ progeny plants with bean cultivars HMX4127 plants to producebackcross progeny plants; (d) selecting for backcross progeny plantsthat have the desired trait(s) and physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of bean cultivars HMX4127 to produce selected backcrossprogeny plants; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) one, two, three,four, five six, seven, eight, nine, or more times in succession toproduce selected, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth,ninth, or higher backcross progeny plants that consist essentially ofthe phenotypic and morphological characteristics of bean cultivarsHMX4127 and/or have all the phenotypic and morphological characteristicsof bean cultivars HMX4127 and/or have the desired trait(s) and thephysiological and morphological characteristics of bean cultivarsHMX4127 as determined in Table 2, including but not limited to at a 5%significance level when grown in the same environmental conditions. Thebackcross breeding process of HMX4129 comprises the following steps: (a)crossing bean cultivars HMX4129 plants with plants of another cultivarthat comprise the desired trait(s); (b) selecting the F₁ progeny plantsthat have the desired trait(s); (c) crossing the selected F₁ progenyplants with bean cultivars HMX4129 plants to produce backcross progenyplants; (d) selecting for backcross progeny plants that have the desiredtrait(s) and physiological and morphological characteristics of beancultivars HMX4129 to produce selected backcross progeny plants; and (e)repeating steps (c) and (d) one, two, three, four, five six, seven,eight, nine, or more times in succession to produce selected, second,third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, or higher backcrossprogeny plants that consist essentially of the phenotypic andmorphological characteristics of bean cultivars HMX4129 and/or have allthe phenotypic and morphological characteristics of bean cultivarsHMX4129 and/or have the desired trait(s) and the physiological andmorphological characteristics of bean cultivars HMX4129 as determined inTable 3, including but not limited to at a 5% significance level whengrown in the same environmental conditions. The backcross breedingprocess of HMX5106 comprises the following steps: (a) crossing beancultivars HMX5106 plants with plants of another cultivar that comprisethe desired trait(s); (b) selecting the F₁ progeny plants that have thedesired trait(s); (c) crossing the selected F₁ progeny plants with beancultivars HMX5106 plants to produce backcross progeny plants; (d)selecting for backcross progeny plants that have the desired trait(s)and physiological and morphological characteristics of bean cultivarsHMX5106 to produce selected backcross progeny plants; and (e) repeatingsteps (c) and (d) one, two, three, four, five six, seven, eight, nine,or more times in succession to produce selected, second, third, fourth,fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, or higher backcross progeny plantsthat consist essentially of the phenotypic and morphologicalcharacteristics of bean cultivars HMX5106 and/or have all the phenotypicand morphological characteristics of bean cultivars HMX5106 and/or havethe desired trait(s) and the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of bean cultivars HMX5106 as determined in Table 4,including but not limited to at a 5% significance level when grown inthe same environmental conditions. The backcross breeding process ofHMX5107 comprises the following steps: (a) crossing bean cultivarsHMX5107 plants with plants of another cultivar that comprise the desiredtrait(s); (b) selecting the F₁ progeny plants that have the desiredtrait(s); (c) crossing the selected F₁ progeny plants with beancultivars HMX5107 plants to produce backcross progeny plants; (d)selecting for backcross progeny plants that have the desired trait(s)and physiological and morphological characteristics of bean cultivarsHMX5107 to produce selected backcross progeny plants; and (e) repeatingsteps (c) and (d) one, two, three, four, five six, seven, eight, nine,or more times in succession to produce selected, second, third, fourth,fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, or higher backcross progeny plantsthat consist essentially of the phenotypic and morphologicalcharacteristics of bean cultivars HMX5107 and/or have all the phenotypicand morphological characteristics of bean cultivars HMX5107 and/or havethe desired trait(s) and the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of bean cultivars HMX5107 as determined in Table 5,including but not limited to at a 5% significance level when grown inthe same environmental conditions. The backcross breeding process ofHMX5108 comprises the following steps: (a) crossing bean cultivarsHMX5108 plants with plants of another cultivar that comprise the desiredtrait(s); (b) selecting the F₁ progeny plants that have the desiredtrait(s); (c) crossing the selected F₁ progeny plants with beancultivars HMX5108 plants to produce backcross progeny plants; (d)selecting for backcross progeny plants that have the desired trait(s)and physiological and morphological characteristics of bean cultivarsHMX5108 to produce selected backcross progeny plants; and (e) repeatingsteps (c) and (d) one, two, three, four, five six, seven, eight, nine,or more times in succession to produce selected, second, third, fourth,fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, or higher backcross progeny plantsthat consist essentially of the phenotypic and morphologicalcharacteristics of bean cultivars HMX5108 and/or have all the phenotypicand morphological characteristics of bean cultivars HMX5108 and/or havethe desired trait(s) and the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of bean cultivars HMX5108 as determined in Table 6,including but not limited to at a 5% significance level when grown inthe same environmental conditions. The bean plants produced by themethods are also part of the invention. Backcrossing breeding methods,well-known for one skilled in the art of plant breeding, will be furtherdeveloped in subsequent parts of the specification.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides methods forincreasing and producing bean cultivars HMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129,HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108 seed, whether by crossing a first parentbean cultivar plant with a second parent bean cultivar plant andharvesting the resultant bean seed, wherein both said first and secondparent bean cultivar plant are the bean cultivars HMX4101, HMX4127,HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108, respectively, or by planting abean seed of the bean cultivars HMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106,HMX5107 and/or HMX5108, growing a bean cultivars HMX4101, HMX4127,HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108 plant from said seed,respectively, controlling a self pollination of the plant where thepollen produced by a grown bean cultivars HMX4101 plant pollinates theovules produced by the very same bean cultivars HMX4101 grown plant,where the pollen produced by a grown bean cultivars HMX4127 plantpollinates the ovules produced by the very same bean cultivars HMX4127grown plant, where the pollen produced by a grown bean cultivars HMX4129plant pollinates the ovules produced by the very same bean cultivarsHMX4129 grown plant, where the pollen produced by a grown bean cultivarsHMX5106 plant pollinates the ovules produced by the very same beancultivars HMX5106 grown plant, where the pollen produced by a grown beancultivars HMX5107 plant pollinates the ovules produced by the very samebean cultivars HMX5107 grown plant, where the pollen produced by a grownbean cultivars HMX5108 plant pollinates the ovules produced by the verysame bean cultivars HMX5108 grown plant and harvesting the resultantseed.

The invention further provides methods for developing bean cultivars ina bean breeding program using plant breeding techniques includingrecurrent selection, backcrossing, pedigree breeding, molecular markers(Isozyme Electrophoresis, Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms(RFLPs), Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs), Arbitrarily PrimedPolymerase Chain Reaction (AP-PCR), DNA Amplification Fingerprinting(DAF), Sequence Characterized Amplified Regions (SCARs). AmplifiedFragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs), and Simple Sequence Repeats(SSRs) (which are also referred to as Microsatellites, etc.) enhancedselection, genetic marker enhanced selection, and transformation. Seeds,bean plants, and part(s) thereof produced by such breeding methods arealso part of the invention.

In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above,further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by study of thefollowing descriptions.

Definitions

In the description and tables that follow, a number of terms are used.In order to provide a clear and consistent understanding of thespecification and claims, including the scope to be given such terms,the following definitions are provided:

Allele. An allele is any of one or more alternative forms of a genewhich relate to one trait or characteristic. In a diploid cell ororganism, the two alleles of a given gene occupy corresponding loci on apair of homologous chromosomes.

Backcrossing. Backcrossing is a process in which a breeder repeatedlycrosses hybrid progeny back to one of the parents, for example, a firstgeneration hybrid F₁ with one of the parental genotypes of the F₁hybrid.

Bean yield (tons/acre). The yield in tons/acre is the actual yield ofthe bean pods at harvest.

Determinate plant. A determinate plant will grow to a fixed number ofnodes while an indeterminate plant continues to grow during the season.

Emergence. The rate that the seed germinates and sprouts out of theground.

Essentially all the physiological and morphological characteristics. Aplant having essentially all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics means a plant having the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics, except for the characteristics derived from theconverted gene.

Field holding ability. A bean plant that has field holding ability meansa plant having pods that remain smooth and retain their color even afterthe seed is almost fully developed.

Immunity to disease(s) and or insect(s). A bean plant which is notsubject to attack or infection by specific disease(s) and or insect(s)is considered immune.

Intermediate resistance to disease(s) and or insect(s). A bean plantthat restricts the growth and development of specific disease(s) and orinsect(s), but may exhibit a greater range of symptoms or damagecompared to resistant plants. Intermediate resistant plants will usuallyshow less severe symptoms or damage than susceptible plant varietieswhen grown under similar environmental conditions and/or specificdisease(s) and or insect(s) pressure, but may have heavy damage underheavy pressure. Intermediate resistant bean plants are not immune to thedisease(s) and or insect(s).

Machine harvestable bush. A machine harvestable bush means a bean plantthat stands with pods off the ground. The pods can be removed by amachine from the plant without leaves and other plant parts.

Maturity. A maturity under 53 days is considered early while maturitybetween 54-59 days is considered average or medium and maturity of 60 ormore days would be late.

Maturity date. Plants are considered mature when the pods have reachedtheir maximum allowable seed size and sieve size for the specific useintended. This can vary for each end user, e.g., processing at differentstages of maturity would be required for different types of consumerbeans, such as “whole pack,” “cut,” or “french style.” The number ofdays is calculated from a relative planting date which depends on daylength, heat units, and other environmental factors.

Plant adaptability. A plant having good plant adaptability means a plantthat will perform well in different growing conditions and seasons.

Plant architecture. Plant architecture is the shape of the overall plantwhich can be tall-narrow, short-wide, medium height, and/or mediumwidth.

Plant cell. As used herein, the term “plant cell” includes plant cellswhether isolated, in tissue culture, or incorporated in a plant or plantpart.

Plant habit. A plant can be erect (upright) to sprawling on the ground.

Plant height. Plant height is taken from the top of the soil to the topnode of the plant and is measured in centimeters or inches.

Plant part. As used herein, the term “plant part” includes any part ofthe plant including but not limited to leaves, stems, roots, seed,embryos, pollen, ovules, flowers, root tips, anthers, tissue, cells,pods, and the like.

Pod set height. The pod set height is the location of the pods withinthe plant. The pods can be high (near the top), low (near the bottom),or medium (in the middle) of the plant.

Regeneration. Regeneration refers to the development of a plant fromtissue culture.

Resistance to disease(s) and or insect(s). A bean plant that restrictsthe growth and development of specific disease(s) and or insect(s) undernormal disease(s) and or insect(s) attack pressure when compared tosusceptible plants. These bean plants can exhibit some symptoms ordamage under heavy disease(s) and or insect(s) pressure. Resistant beanplants are not immune to the disease(s) and or insect(s).

RHS. RHS refers to the Royal Horticultural Society of England whichpublishes an official botanical color chart quantitatively identifyingcolors according to a defined numbering system. The chart may bepurchased from Royal Hort. Society Enterprise Ltd. RHS Garden; Wisley,Woking, Surrey GU236QB, UK.

Sieve size (sv). Sieve size 1 means pods that fall through a sievegrader which culls out pod diameters of 4.76 mm through 5.76 mm. Sievesize 2 means pods that fall through a sieve grader which culls out poddiameters of 5.76 mm through 7.34 mm. Sieve size 3 means pods that fallthrough a sieve grader which culls out pod diameters of 7.34 mm through8.34 mm. Sieve size 4 means pods that fall through a sieve grader whichculls out pod diameters of 8.34 mm through 9.53 mm. Sieve size 5 meanspods that fall through a sieve grader which culls out pod diameters of9.53 mm through 10.72 mm. Sieve size 6 means pods that fall through asieve grader that will cull out pod diameters of 10.72 mm or larger.

Single gene converted (conversion). Single gene converted (conversion)plants refers to plants which are developed by a plant breedingtechnique called backcrossing wherein essentially all of the desiredmorphological and physiological characteristics of a variety arerecovered in addition to the single gene transferred into the varietyvia the backcrossing technique or via genetic engineering.

Slow seed development. Beans having slow seed development develop seedslowly even after the pods are full sized. This characteristic gives tothe cultivar its field holding ability.

Susceptible to disease(s) and or insect(s). A bean plant that issusceptible to disease(s) and or insect(s) is defined as a bean plantthat has the inability to restrict the growth and development ofspecific disease(s) and or insect(s). Plants that are susceptible willshow damage when infected and are more likely to have heavy damage undermoderate levels of specific disease(s) and or insect(s).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Garden bean cultivar HMX4101 has superior characteristics and wasdeveloped from an initial cross that was made in Sun Prairie, Wis., in agreenhouse, in the fall. In the first year of development, the cross wasmade between two proprietary lines under stake numbers 17003 (female)and 17050 (male, a BC4 internal proprietary material), the BC₅F₁generation was harvested in April in the greenhouse located in SunPrairie, Wis., in plot 25015, and the BC₅F₂ selection was made in Julynear Coloma, Wis., in plot 212887. In the second year, the BC₅F₃selection was made in February, near Los Mochis, Mexico, in plot 32797;the BC₅F₄ was harvested as 100 single plants in September, Twin Falls,Id. in plot 304950 and 304951; In the third year, the BC₅F₅ generationwas bulked by progeny row in February, near Los Mochis, Mexico, in plot44701-750. The line was subsequently designated HMX4101.

Garden bean cultivar HMX4101 is similar to garden bean cultivar‘Caprice’. While similar to garden bean cultivar ‘Caprice’, there aresignificant differences including garden bean cultivar HMX4101 hasresistance to Beet Curly Top Virus while ‘Caprice’ is susceptible.

Garden bean cultivar HMX4101 is a 56-day maturity bean with uniformmedium dark green pods on an upright plant structure (habit). The podsare very straight and smooth and are borne in the upper one-half of theplant. The majority of the pods are in the 3, 4 and 5 sieve range. Theleaves are medium in size with a medium-dark green color. Garden beancultivar HMX4101 is a determinate plant and is resistant to Bean CommonMosaic Virus (BCMV I-gene), Beet Curly Top Virus (BCTV), Colletotrichumlindemuthianum (races 7 and 73) and Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli.HMX4101 has Intermediate Resistant to Pseudomonas syringae pv syringaeand Pseudomonas syringae pv phaseolicola.

Garden bean cultivar HMX4127 has superior characteristics and wasdeveloped from an initial cross that was made in Immokalee, Fla., in agreenhouse, in the fall. In the first year of development, the cross wasmade between two proprietary lines under stake numbers 9631 (female) and9634 (male), the F₁ generation was harvested in April in the greenhouselocated in Sun Prairie, Wis., in plot W7178, and the F₂ selection wasmade in July near Coloma, Wis., in plot H708918. In the second year, theF₃ selection was made in October, in Sun Prairie, Wis., in thegreenhouse, in plot 0076; the F₄ selection was made in April, in SunPrairie, Wis., in the greenhouse, in plot 8540; the F₅ selection wasmade in July near Coloma, Wis., in plot H802569. In the third year, theF₆ selection was made in February, near Los Mochis, Mexico, in plot90372; the F₇ selection was made in July near Coloma, Wis., in plot902811. In the fourth year, the F₈ generation was bulked in Februarynear Los Mochis, Mexico, in plot 04212 and the F₉ generation was bulkedin August in Salinas, Calif., in plot 014495. In the fifth year, the F₁₀generation was bulked in August in Salinas, Calif., in plot 107873. Inthe sixth year, the F₁₁ generation was harvested as 100 single plants inAugust in Twin Falls, Id., in plot 305176. In the seventh year, the F₁₂generation was bulked by progeny row in February, near Los Mochis,Mexico, in plot 44901-950. The line was subsequently designated HMX4127.

Garden bean cultivar HMX4127 is similar to garden bean cultivar‘Navarro’. While similar to garden bean cultivar ‘Navarro’, there aresignificant differences including garden bean cultivar HMX4127 hasmedium green pods while the pods of ‘Navarro’ are medium light green.

Garden bean cultivar HMX4127 is a 56-day maturity bean with uniformmedium green pods on an upright plant structure (habit). The pods arevery straight and smooth and are borne in the upper one-half of theplant. The pods are flat and average 6 inches in length. The leaves aremedium in size with a medium-dark green color. Garden bean cultivarHMX4127 is a determinate plant and is resistant to Bean Common MosaicVirus (BCMV I-gene) and Beet Curly Top Virus (BCTV).

Garden bean cultivar HMX4129 has superior characteristics and wasdeveloped from an initial cross that was made in Immokalee, Fla., in agreenhouse, in the fall. In the first year of development, the cross wasmade between two proprietary lines under stake numbers 86527 (female)and 86522 (male), the F₁ generation was harvested in April in thegreenhouse located in Sun Prairie, Wis., in plot 9178, and the F₂selection was made in July near Coloma, Wis., in plot 908561. In thesecond year, the F₃ selection was made in July near Coloma, Wis., inplot 016807. In the third year, the F₄ selection was made in February,near Los Mochis, Mexico, in plot 10569; the F₅ selection was made inJuly near Coloma, Wis., in plot 103966. In the fourth year, the F₆selection was made in February near Los Mochis, Mexico, in plot 20177and the F₇ selection was made in July near Coloma, Wis., in plot 203928.In the fifth year, the F₈ generation was bulked in February near LosMochis, Mexico, in plot 32593 and the F₉ generation was harvested as 100single plants in August in Twin Falls, Id., in plots 304998 and 304999.In the sixth year, the F₁₀ generation was bulked by progeny row inFebruary, near Los Mochis, Mexico, in plot 44801-850. The line wassubsequently designated HMX4129.

Garden bean cultivar HMX4129 is similar to garden bean cultivar ‘Pike’.While similar to garden bean cultivar ‘Pike’, there are significantdifferences including garden bean cultivar HMX4129 has medium green podswhile the pods of ‘Pike’ are medium dark green.

Garden bean cultivar HMX4129 is a 58-day maturity bean with uniformmedium green pods on an upright plant structure (habit). The pods arevery straight and smooth and are borne in the upper one-half of theplant. The majority of the pods are in the 2 and 3 sieve range. Theleaves are medium in size with a medium-dark green color. Garden beancultivar HMX4129 is a determinate plant and is resistant to Bean CommonMosaic Virus (BCMV I-gene), Beet Curly Top Virus (BCTV), Colletotrichumlindemuthianum (races 7 and 73), Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli,and Pseudomonas syringae pv phaseolicola.

Garden bean cultivar HMX5106 has superior characteristics and wasdeveloped from an initial cross that was made in Immokalee, Fla., in agreenhouse, in the fall. In the first year of development, the cross wasmade between two proprietary lines under stake numbers 09587 (female)and 09593 (male), the F₁ generation was harvested in April in thegreenhouse located in Sun Prairie, Wis., in plot 1164, and the F₂selection was made in July near Coloma, Wis., in plot 111303. In thesecond year, the F₃ selection was made in October, in Sun Prairie, Wis.,in the greenhouse, in plot 17641; the F₄ selection was made in April, inSun Prairie, Wis., in the greenhouse, in plot 25645; the F₅ selectionwas made in July near Coloma, Wis., in plot 205757. In the third year,the F₆ selection was made in February, near Los Mochis, Mexico, in plot32025; the F₇ generation was bulked in July in Twin Falls, Id., in plot307968. In the fourth year, the F₈ generation was harvested as 100single plants in August in Twin Falls, Id., in plots 407297 and 407298.In the fifth year, the F₉ generation was bulked by progeny row inFebruary, near Los Mochis, Mexico, in plot 53601-646. The line wassubsequently designated HMX5106.

Garden bean cultivar HMX5106 is similar to garden bean cultivar ‘Ambra’.While similar to garden bean cultivar ‘Ambra’, there are significantdifferences including garden bean cultivar HMX5106 has medium green podswhile the pods of ‘Ambra’ are medium light green. HMX5106 has resistanceto Uromyces appendiculatus (rust races 38 and 67) while ‘Ambra’ issusceptible.

Garden bean cultivar HMX5106 is a 54-day maturity bean with uniformmedium dark green pods on an upright plant structure (habit). The podsare very straight and smooth and are borne in the upper one-half of theplant. The majority of the pods are in the 3 and 4 sieve range Theleaves are medium in size with a medium-dark green color. Garden beancultivar HMX5106 is a determinate plant and is resistant to Bean CommonMosaic Virus (BCMV I-gene), Beet Curly Top Virus (BCTV), and Uromycesappendiculatus (rust races 38 and 67).

Garden bean cultivar HMX5107 has superior characteristics and wasdeveloped from an initial cross that was made in Immokalee, Fla., in agreenhouse, in the fall. In the first year of development, the cross wasmade between two proprietary lines under stake numbers 97491 (female)and 97483 (male), the F₁ generation was harvested in April in thegreenhouse located in Sun Prairie, Wis., in plot 0134, and the F₂selection was made in July near Coloma, Wis., in plot 018146. In thesecond year, the F₃ selection was made in February, near Los Mochis,Mexico, in plot 10868; the F₄ selection was made in July near Coloma,Wis., in plot 104617. In the third year, the F₅ selection was made inFebruary, near Los Mochis, Mexico, in plot 20433; the F₆ selection wasmade in July near Coloma, Wis., in plot 204088. In the fourth year, theF₇ selection was made in February, near Los Mochis, Mexico, in plot32671; the F₈ selection was made in July near Coloma, Wis., in plot304826. In the fifth year, the F₉ generation was harvested as 100 singleplants in August in Twin Falls, Id., in plots 407325 and 407326. In thesixth year, the F₁₀ generation was bulked by progeny row in February,near Los Mochis, Mexico, in plot 53701-750. The line was subsequentlydesignated HMX5107.

Garden bean cultivar HMX5107 is similar to garden bean cultivar‘Caprice’. While similar to garden bean cultivar ‘Caprice’, there aresignificant differences including garden bean cultivar HMX5107 has darkgreen pods while the pods of ‘Caprice’ are medium dark green.

Garden bean cultivar HMX5107 is a 56-day maturity bean with uniform darkgreen pods on an upright plant structure (habit). The pods are verystraight and smooth and are borne in the upper one-half of the plant.The majority of the pods are in the 3 and 4 sieve range. The leaves aremedium in size with a medium-dark green color. Garden bean cultivarHMX5107 is a determinate plant and is resistant to Bean Common MosaicVirus (BCMV I-gene) and Beet Curly Top Virus (BCTV).

Garden bean cultivar HMX5108 has superior characteristics and wasdeveloped from an initial cross that was made in Immokalee, Fla., in agreenhouse, in the fall. In the first year of development, the cross wasmade between two proprietary lines under stake numbers 09562 (female)and 09576 (male), the F₁ generation was harvested in April in thegreenhouse located in Sun Prairie, Wis., in plot 1023, and the F₂selection was made in July near Coloma, Wis., in plot 109796. In thesecond year, the F₃ selection was made in February, near Los Mochis,Mexico, in plot 21286; the F₄ selection was made in July near Coloma,Wis., in plot 204670. In the third year, the F₅ selection was made inFebruary, near Los Mochis, Mexico, in plot 30339; the F₆ selection wasmade in July near Coloma, Wis., in plot 305579. In the fourth year, theF₇ selection was made in February, near Los Mochis, Mexico, in plot42956; the F₈ generation was harvested as 100 single plants in August inTwin Falls, Id., in plots 407555 and 407556. In the fifth year, the F₉generation was bulked by progeny row in February, near Los Mochis,Mexico, in plot 53801-850. The line was subsequently designated HMX5108.

Garden bean cultivar HMX5108 is similar to garden bean cultivar‘Hystyle’. While similar to garden bean cultivar ‘Hystyle’, there aresignificant differences including garden bean cultivar HMX5108 hasmedium green pods while the pods of ‘Hystyle’ are medium light green.

Garden bean cultivar HMX5108 is a 55-day maturity bean with uniformmedium green pods on an upright plant structure (habit). The pods arevery straight and smooth and are borne in the upper one-half of theplant. The majority of the pods are in the 4 and 5 sieve range. Theleaves are medium in size with a medium-dark green color. Garden beancultivar HMX5108 is a determinate plant and is resistant to Bean CommonMosaic Virus (BCMV I-gene) and Beet Curly Top Virus (BCTV).

Some of the selection criteria used for various generations include: podappearance and length, bean yield, pod set height, emergence, maturity,plant architecture, habit and height, seed yield, and quality anddisease resistance.

Bean Common Mosaic Virus resistance is a desired trait for a beanvariety. The disease occurs worldwide causing low quality of the harvestproduct and losses from 80% to 100% by reduction of yield. It is mostlytransmitted by aphids during the growing season, but can also be spreadby pollen or mechanically. The leaves develop mosaic patterns in whichirregular light and dark green patches are intermixed. Malformation andyellow dots may also be produced, often causing growth reduction. Theplant may be dwarfed and pod and seed yield reduced. Severe necrosis mayoccur and the plant may die if infected while young. Systemic necrosis,in which the roots and shoots become blackened, appears in cultivarshaving a dominant resistance gene (hypersensitive resistance mechanism).The systemic necrosis may spread to higher leaves without killing themor may be concentrated in the vascular parts of the stem, eventuallyleading to the death of all or part of the plant. When infection occurslate in plant development, parts of the plant may die and many pods mayshow brown discoloration in the pod wall and pod suture as a result ofvascular necrosis.

Garden bean cultivars HMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/orHMX5108 have shown uniformity and stability for the traits, as describedin the following Variety Description Information. It has beenself-pollinated a sufficient number of generations with carefulattention to uniformity of plant type. The cultivar has been increasedwith continued observation for uniformity. No variant traits have beenobserved or are expected for agronomically important traits in gardenbean cultivars HMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/orHMX5108.

Garden bean cultivar HMX4101 has the following morphologic and othercharacteristics (based primarily on data collected at Coloma and SunPrairie, Wis.).

TABLE 1 VARIETY DESCRIPTION INFORMATION   Garden bean cultivar HMX4101has the following morphologic and other characteristics (based primarilyon data collected at Coloma and Sun Prairie, Wisconsin).   MarketMaturity:     Days to edible pods: 56     Number of days later than‘Caprice’: 0   Plant:     Habit: Determinate     Pod position:Medium-High     Bush form: High Bush   Leaves:     Surface: Semi-glossy    Size: Medium     Color: Medium dark-green   Anthocyanin Pigment:    Flowers: Absent     Stems: Absent     Pods: Absent     Seeds: Absent    Leaves: Absent     Petioles: Absent     Peduncles: Absent     Nodes:Absent   Flower Color:     Color of standard: White     Color of wings:White     Color of keel: White   Pods (edible maturity):     Exteriorcolor: Medium Dark-green     Cross section pod shape: Round    Creaseback: Present     Pubescence: Sparse     Constriction: None    Spur length: 12 mm     Fiber: Sparse     Number of seeds/pods: 6    Suture string: Absent     Seed development: Slow     Machineharvest: Adapted   Distribution of sieve size at optimum maturity:      30% 7.34 mm to 8.34 mm - Sieve 3       60% 8.34 mm to 9.53 mm -Sieve 4       10% 9.53 mm to 10.72 mm - Sieve 5   Seed Color:     Seedcoat luster: Shiny     Seed coat: Monochrome     Primary color: White    Seed coat pattern: Solid     Hilar ring: Absent   Seed Shape andSize:     Hilum view: Oval     Cross section: Round     Side view: Oval    Seed size (g/100 seeds): 27.0; 1 less than ‘Caprice’   DiseaseResistance:     Bean Common Mosaic Virus (BCMV I gene): Resistant    Beet Curly Top Virus (BCTV): Resistant     Colletotrichumlindemuthianum (races 7 and 73): Resistant     Xanthomonas campestrispv.phaseoli: Resistant     Pseudomonas syringae pv syringae:Intermediate Resistant     Pseudomonas syringae pv phaseolicola:Intermediate Resistant

Garden bean cultivar HMX4127 has the following morphologic and othercharacteristics (based primarily on data collected at Coloma and SunPrairie, Wis.).

TABLE 2 VARIETY DESCRIPTION INFORMATION Market Maturity:   Days toedible pods: 56   Number of days later than ‘Navarro’: 0 Plant:   Habit:Determinate   Pod position: Medium-High   Bush form: High Bush Leaves:  Surface: Semi-glossy   Size: Medium   Color: Medium dark-greenAnthocyanin Pigment:   Flowers: Absent   Stems: Absent   Pods: Absent  Seeds: Absent   Leaves: Absent   Petioles: Absent   Peduncles: Absent  Nodes: Absent Flower Color:   Color of standard: White   Color ofwings: White   Color of keel: White Pods (edible maturity):   Exteriorcolor: Medium green   Cross section pod shape: Flat   Creaseback:Present   Pubescence: Sparse   Constriction: None   Spur length: 8 mm  Fiber: Sparse   Number of seeds/pods: 6   Suture string: Absent   Seeddevelopment: Slow   Machine harvest: Adapted Seed Color:   Seed coatluster: Shiny   Seed coat: Monochrome   Primary color: White   Seed coatpattern: Solid   Hilar ring: Absent Seed Shape and Size:   Hilum view:Oval   Cross section: Round   Side view: Oval   Seed size (g/100 seeds):40.0; equal to ‘Navarro’ Disease Resistance:   Bean Common Mosaic Virus(BCMV I gene): Resistant   Beet Curly Top Virus (BCTV): Resistant

Garden bean cultivar HMX4129 has the following morphologic and othercharacteristics (based primarily on data collected at Coloma, and SunPrairie, Wis.).

TABLE 3 VARIETY DESCRIPTION INFORMATION Market Maturity:   Days toedible pods: 58   Number of days earlier than ‘Pike’: 1 Plant:   Habit:Determinate   Pod position: Medium-High   Bush form: High Bush Leaves:  Surface: Semi-glossy   Size: Medium   Color: Medium dark-greenAnthocyanin Pigment:   Flowers: Absent   Stems: Absent   Pods: Absent  Seeds: Absent   Leaves: Absent   Petioles: Absent   Peduncles: Absent  Nodes: Absent Flower Color:   Color of standard: White   Color ofwings: White   Color of keel: White Pods (edible maturity):   Exteriorcolor: Medium green   Cross section pod shape: Round   Creaseback:Present   Pubescence: Sparse   Constriction: None   Spur length: 10 mm  Fiber: Sparse   Number of seeds/pods: 7   Suture string: Absent   Seeddevelopment: Slow   Machine harvest: Adapted Distribution of sieve sizeat optimum maturity:     30% 5.76 mm to 7.34 mm - Sieve 2     70% 7.34mm to 8.34 mm - Sieve 3 Seed Color:   Seed coat luster: semi-Shiny  Seed coat: Monochrome   Primary color: White   Seed coat pattern:Solid   Hilar ring: Absent Seed Shape and Size:   Hilum view: Oval  Cross section: Round   Side view: Oval   Seed size (g/100 seeds):20.0; equal to ‘Pike’ Disease Resistance:   Bean Common Mosaic Virus(BCMV I gene): Resistant   Beet Curly Top Virus (BCTV): Resistant  Colletotrichum lindemuthianum (races 7 and 73): Resistant  Xanthomonas campestris pv.phaseoli: Resistant   Pseudomonas syringaepv phaseolicola: Resistant

Garden bean cultivar HMX5106 has the following morphologic and othercharacteristics (based primarily on data collected at Cookeville, andCrossville, Tenn.).

TABLE 4 VARIETY DESCRIPTION INFORMATION Market Maturity:   Days toedible pods: 54   Number of days later than ‘Ambra’: 2 Plant:   Habit:Determinate   Pod position: Medium-High   Bush form: High Bush Leaves:  Surface: Semi-glossy   Size: Medium   Color: Medium dark-greenAnthocyanin Pigment:   Flowers: Absent   Stems: Absent   Pods: Absent  Seeds: Absent   Leaves: Absent   Petioles: Absent   Peduncles: Absent  Nodes: Absent Flower Color:   Color of standard: White   Color ofwings: White   Color of keel: White Pods (edible maturity):   Exteriorcolor: Medium Dark-green   Cross section pod shape: Round   Creaseback:Present   Pubescence: Sparse   Constriction: None   Spur length: 12 mm  Fiber: Sparse   Number of seeds/pods: 7   Suture string: Absent   Seeddevelopment: Slow   Machine harvest: Adapted Distribution of sieve sizeat optimum maturity:     30% 7.34 mm to 8.34 mm - Sieve 3     70% 8.34mm to 9.53 mm - Sieve 4 Seed Color:   Seed coat luster: Shiny   Seedcoat: Monochrome   Primary color: White   Seed coat pattern: Solid  Hilar ring: Absent Seed Shape and Size:   Hilum view: Oval   Crosssection: Round   Side view: Oval   Seed size (g/100 seeds): 24.0; 3 lessthan ‘Ambra’ Disease Resistance:   Bean Common Mosaic Virus (BCMV Igene): Resistant   Beet Curly Top Virus (BCTV): Resistant   Uromycesappendiculatus (rust races 38 and 67): Resistant

Garden bean cultivar HMX5107 has the following morphologic and othercharacteristics (based primarily on data collected at Coloma, and SunPrairie, Wis.).

TABLE 5 VARIETY DESCRIPTION INFORMATION Market Maturity:   Days toedible pods: 56   Number of days later than ‘Caprice’: 0 Plant:   Habit:Determinate   Pod position: Medium-High   Bush form: High Bush Leaves:  Surface: Semi-glossy   Size: Medium   Color: Medium dark-greenAnthocyanin Pigment:   Flowers: Absent   Stems: Absent   Pods: Absent  Seeds: Absent   Leaves: Absent   Petioles: Absent   Peduncles: Absent  Nodes: Absent Flower Color:   Color of standard: White   Color ofwings: White   Color of keel: White Pods (edible maturity):   Exteriorcolor: Dark-green   Cross section pod shape: Round   Creaseback: Present  Pubescence: Sparse   Constriction: None   Spur length: 10 mm   Fiber:Sparse   Number of seeds/pods: 6   Suture string: Absent   Seeddevelopment: Slow   Machine harvest: Adapted Distribution of sieve sizeat optimum maturity:     30% 7.34 mm to 8.34 mm - Sieve 3     70% 8.34mm to 9.53 mm - Sieve 4 Seed Color:   Seed coat luster: Shiny   Seedcoat: Monochrome   Primary color: White   Seed coat pattern: Solid  Hilar ring: Absent Seed Shape and Size:   Hilum view: Oval   Crosssection: Round   Side view: Oblong   Seed size (g/100 seeds): 25.0; 3less than ‘Caprice’ Disease Resistance:   Bean Common Mosaic Virus (BCMVI gene): Resistant   Beet Curly Top Virus (BCTV): Resistant

Garden bean cultivar HMX5108 has the following morphologic and othercharacteristics (based primarily on data collected at Coloma, and SunPrairie, Wis.).

TABLE 6 VARIETY DESCRIPTION INFORMATION Market Maturity:   Days toedible pods: 55   Number of days later than ‘Hystyle’: 0 Plant:   Habit:Determinate   Pod position: Medium-High   Bush form: High Bush Leaves:  Surface: Semi-glossy   Size: Medium   Color: Medium dark-greenAnthocyanin Pigment:   Flowers: Absent   Stems: Absent   Pods: Absent  Seeds: Absent   Leaves: Absent   Petioles: Absent   Peduncles: Absent  Nodes: Absent Flower Color:   Color of standard: White   Color ofwings: White   Color of keel: White Pods (edible maturity):   Exteriorcolor: Medium green   Cross section pod shape: Round   Creaseback:Present   Pubescence: Sparse   Constriction: None   Spur length: 12 mm  Fiber: Sparse   Number of seeds/pods: 7   Suture string: Absent   Seeddevelopment: Slow   Machine harvest: Adapted Distribution of sieve sizeat optimum maturity:     15% 7.34 mm to 8.34 mm - Sieve 3     60% 8.34mm to 9.53 mm - Sieve 4     25% 9.53 mm to 10.72 mm - Sieve 5 SeedColor:   Seed coat luster: Shiny   Seed coat: Monochrome   Primarycolor: White   Seed coat pattern: Solid   Hilar ring: Absent Seed Shapeand Size:   Hilum view: Elliptical   Cross section: Oval   Side view:Oblong   Seed size (g/100 seeds): 24.0; 3 less than ‘Hystyle’ DiseaseResistance:   Bean Common Mosaic Virus (BCMV I gene): Resistant   BeetCurly Top Virus (BCTV): Resistant

Further Embodiments of the Invention

This invention also is directed to methods for producing a garden plantby crossing a first parent bean plant with a second parent bean plantwherein either the first or second parent bean plant is a bean plant ofthe line HMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108.Further, both first and second parent bean plants can come fromcultivars HMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/or HMX5108,respectively. When self pollinated, or crossed with another beancultivar HMX4101 plant, the bean cultivars HMX4101 will be stable, whilewhen crossed with another, different bean cultivar plant, an F₁ hybridseed is produced. When self pollinated, or crossed with another beancultivar HMX4127 plant, the bean cultivars HMX4127 will be stable, whilewhen crossed with another, different bean cultivar plant, an F₁ hybridseed is produced. When self pollinated, or crossed with another beancultivar HMX4129 plant, the bean cultivars HMX4129 will be stable, whilewhen crossed with another, different bean cultivar plant, an F₁ hybridseed is produced. When self pollinated, or crossed with another beancultivar HMX5106 plant, the bean cultivars HMX5106 will be stable, whilewhen crossed with another, different bean cultivar plant, an F₁ hybridseed is produced. When self pollinated, or crossed with another beancultivar HMX5107 plant, the bean cultivars HMX5107 will be stable, whilewhen crossed with another, different bean cultivar plant, an F₁ hybridseed is produced. When self pollinated, or crossed with another beancultivar HMX5108 plant, the bean cultivars HMX5108 will be stable, whilewhen crossed with another, different bean cultivar plant, an F₁ hybridseed is produced. Such methods of hybridization and self-pollination ofthe common bean are well known to those skilled in the art of beanbreeding. See, for example, F. A. Bliss, 1980, Common Bean, InHybridization of Crop Plants, Fehr and Hadley, eds., Chapter 17:273-284, American Society of Agronomy and Crop Science Society ofAmerica, Publishers.

Still further, this invention also is directed to methods for producingan HMX4101-derived bean plant by crossing cultivars HMX4101 with asecond bean plant and growing the progeny seed, and repeating thecrossing and growing steps with the cultivars HMX4101-derived plant from0 to 7 times. Thus, any such methods using the cultivars HMX4101 arepart of this invention: selfing, backcrosses, hybrid production, crossesto populations, and the like. All plants produced using cultivarsHMX4101 as a parent are within the scope of this invention, includingplants derived from cultivars HMX4101. Advantageously, the cultivar isused in crosses with other, different, cultivars to produce firstgeneration (F₁) bean seeds and plants with superior characteristics.

Still further, this invention also is directed to methods for producingan HMX4127-derived bean plant by crossing cultivars HMX4127 with asecond bean plant and growing the progeny seed, and repeating thecrossing and growing steps with the cultivars HMX4127-derived plant from0 to 7 times. Thus, any such methods using the cultivars HMX4127 arepart of this invention: selfing, backcrosses, hybrid production, crossesto populations, and the like. All plants produced using cultivarsHMX4127 as a parent are within the scope of this invention, includingplants derived from cultivars HMX4127. Advantageously, the cultivar isused in crosses with other, different, cultivars to produce firstgeneration (F₁) bean seeds and plants with superior characteristics.

Still further, this invention also is directed to methods for producingan HMX4129-derived bean plant by crossing cultivars HMX4129 with asecond bean plant and growing the progeny seed, and repeating thecrossing and growing steps with the cultivars HMX4129-derived plant from0 to 7 times. Thus, any such methods using the cultivars HMX4129 arepart of this invention: selfing, backcrosses, hybrid production, crossesto populations, and the like. All plants produced using cultivarsHMX4129 as a parent are within the scope of this invention, includingplants derived from cultivars HMX4129. Advantageously, the cultivar isused in crosses with other, different, cultivars to produce firstgeneration (F₁) bean seeds and plants with superior characteristics.

Still further, this invention also is directed to methods for producingan HMX5106-derived bean plant by crossing cultivars HMX5106 with asecond bean plant and growing the progeny seed, and repeating thecrossing and growing steps with the cultivars HMX5106-derived plant from0 to 7 times. Thus, any such methods using the cultivars HMX5106 arepart of this invention: selfing, backcrosses, hybrid production, crossesto populations, and the like. All plants produced using cultivarsHMX5106 as a parent are within the scope of this invention, includingplants derived from cultivars HMX5106. Advantageously, the cultivar isused in crosses with other, different, cultivars to produce firstgeneration (F₁) bean seeds and plants with superior characteristics.

Still further, this invention also is directed to methods for producingan HMX5107-derived bean plant by crossing cultivars HMX5107 with asecond bean plant and growing the progeny seed, and repeating thecrossing and growing steps with the cultivars HMX5107-derived plant from0 to 7 times. Thus, any such methods using the cultivars HMX5107 arepart of this invention: selfing, backcrosses, hybrid production, crossesto populations, and the like. All plants produced using cultivarsHMX5107 as a parent are within the scope of this invention, includingplants derived from cultivars HMX5107. Advantageously, the cultivar isused in crosses with other, different, cultivars to produce firstgeneration (F₁) bean seeds and plants with superior characteristics.

Still further, this invention also is directed to methods for producingan HMX5108-derived bean plant by crossing cultivars HMX5108 with asecond bean plant and growing the progeny seed, and repeating thecrossing and growing steps with the cultivars HMX5108-derived plant from0 to 7 times. Thus, any such methods using the cultivars HMX5108 arepart of this invention: selfing, backcrosses, hybrid production, crossesto populations, and the like. All plants produced using cultivarsHMX5108 as a parent are within the scope of this invention, includingplants derived from cultivars HMX5108. Advantageously, the cultivar isused in crosses with other, different, cultivars to produce firstgeneration (F₁) bean seeds and plants with superior characteristics.

As used herein, the term “plant” includes plant cells, plantprotoplasts, plant cell tissue cultures from which garden bean plantscan be regenerated, plant calli, plant clumps and plant cells that areintact in plants or parts of plants, such as embryos, pollen, ovules,flowers, seeds, pods, stems, roots, anthers, pistils, root tips, leaves,and the like.

As is well known in the art, tissue culture of garden bean can be usedfor the in vitro regeneration of a garden bean plant. Tissue culture ofvarious tissues of garden beans and regeneration of plants therefrom iswell known and widely published. For example, reference may be had toMcClean, P., Grafton, K. F., “Regeneration of dry bean (Phaseolusvulgaris) via organogenesis,” Plant Sci., 60, 117-122 (1989); Mergeai,G., Baudoin, J. P., “Development of an in vitro culture method forheart-shaped embryo in Phaseolus vulgaris,” B.I.C. Invit. Papers 33,115-116 (1990); Vanderwesthuizen, A. J., Groenewald, E. G., “RootFormation and Attempts to Establish Morphogenesis in Callus Tissues ofBeans (Phaseolus-vulgaris L.),” S. Afr. J. Bot. 56, 271-273 (2 Apr.1990); Benedicic, D., et al., “The regeneration of Phaseolus vulgaris L.plants from meristem culture,” Abst. 5th I. A. P.T.C. Cong. 1, 91(#A3-33) (1990); Genga, A., Allavena, A., “Factors affectingmorphogenesis from immature cotyledons of Phaseolus coccineus L.,” Abst.5th I. A. P.T.C. Cong. 1, 101 (#A3-75) (1990); Vaquero, F., et al.,“Plant regeneration and preliminary studies on transformation ofPhaseolus coccineus,” Abst. 5th I. A. P.T.C. Cong. 1, 106 (#A3-93)(1990); Franklin, C. I., et al., “Plant Regeneration from SeedlingExplants of Green Bean (Phaseolus-Vulgaris L.) via Organogenesis,” PlantCell Tissue Org. Cult., 24, 199-206 (3 Mar. 1991); Malik, K. A., Saxena,P. K., “Regeneration in Phaseolus-vulgaris L. —Promotive Role ofN6-Benzylaminopurine in Cultures from Juvenile Leaves,” Planta, 184(1),148-150 (1991); Genga, A., Allavena, A., “Factors affectingmorphogenesis from immature cotyledons of Phaseolus coccineus L.,” PlantCell Tissue Org. Cult., 27, 189-196 (1991); Malik, K. A., Saxena, P. K.,“Regeneration in Phaseolus vulgaris L. —High-Frequency Induction ofDirect Shoot Formation in Intact Seedlings by N-6-Benzylaminopurine andThidiazuron,” 186, 384-389 (3 Feb. 1992); Malik, K. A., Saxena, P. K.,“Somatic Embryogenesis and Shoot Regeneration from Intact Seedlings ofPhaseolus acutifolius A., P. aureus (L.) Wilczek, P. coccineus L., andP. wrightii L.,” Pl. Cell. Rep., 11, 163-168 (3 Apr. 1992); Chavez, J.,et al., “Development of an in vitro culture method for heart shapedembryo in Phaseolus polyanthus,” B.I.C. Invit. Papers 35, 215-216(1992); Munoz-Florez, L. C., et al., “Finding out an efficient techniquefor inducing callus from Phaseolus microspores,” B.I.C. Invit. Papers35, 217-218 (1992); Vaquero, F., et al., “A Method for Long-TermMicropropagation of Phaseolus coccineus L.,” L. Pl. Cell. Rep., 12,395-398 (7-8 May 1993); Lewis, M. E., Bliss, F. A., “Tumor Formation andbeta-Glucuronidase Expression in Phaseolus vulgaris L. Inoculated withAgrobacterium Tumefaciens,” Journal of the American Society forHorticultural Science, 119, 361-366 (2 Mar. 1994); Song, J. Y., et al.,“Effect of auxin on expression of the isopentenyl transferase gene (ipt)in transformed bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) single-cell clones inducedby Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58,” J. Plant Physiol. 146, 148-154 (1-2May 1995). It is clear from the literature that the state of the art issuch that these methods of obtaining plants are routinely used and havea very high rate of success. Thus, another aspect of this invention isto provide cells which upon growth and differentiation produce beanplants having the physiological and morphological characteristics ofgarden bean cultivars HMX4101, HMX4127, HMX4129, HMX5106, HMX5107 and/orHMX5108.

As used herein, the term “tissue culture” indicates a compositioncomprising isolated cells of the same or a different type or acollection of such cells organized into parts of a plant. Exemplarytypes of tissue cultures are protoplasts, calli, plant clumps, and plantcells that can generate tissue culture that are intact in plants orparts of plants, such as embryos, pollen, flowers, seeds, pods, leaves,stems, roots, root tips, anthers, pistils and the like. Means forpreparing and maintaining plant tissue culture are well known in theart. By way of example, a tissue culture comprising organs has been usedto produce regenerated plants. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,959,185, 5,973,234, and5,977,445 describe certain techniques, the disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference.

With the advent of molecular biological techniques that have allowed theisolation and characterization of genes that encode specific proteinproducts, scientists in the field of plant biology developed a stronginterest in engineering the genome of plants to contain and expressforeign genes, or additional, or modified versions of native, orendogenous, genes (perhaps driven by different promoters) in order toalter the traits of a plant in a specific manner. Such foreignadditional and/or modified genes are referred to herein collectively as“transgenes.” Over the last fifteen to twenty years several methods forproducing transgenic plants have been developed and the presentinvention, in particular embodiments, also relates to transformedversions of the claimed variety or line.

Plant transformation involves the construction of an expression vectorwhich will function in plant cells. Such a vector comprises DNAcomprising a gene under control of, or operatively linked to, aregulatory element (for example, a promoter). The expression vector maycontain one or more such operably linked gene/regulatory elementcombinations. The vector(s) may be in the form of a plasmid and can beused alone or in combination with other plasmids to provide transformedgarden bean plants using transformation methods as described below toincorporate transgenes into the genetic material of the garden beanplant(s).

Expression Vectors for Garden Bean Transformation: Marker Genes

Expression vectors include at least one genetic marker operably linkedto a regulatory element (a promoter, for example) that allowstransformed cells containing the marker to be either recovered bynegative selection, i.e., inhibiting growth of cells that do not containthe selectable marker gene, or by positive selection, i.e., screeningfor the product encoded by the genetic marker. Many commonly usedselectable marker genes for plant transformation are well known in thetransformation arts, and include, for example, genes that code forenzymes that metabolically detoxify a selective chemical agent which maybe an antibiotic or an herbicide, or genes that encode an altered targetwhich is insensitive to the inhibitor. A few positive selection methodsare also known in the art.

One commonly used selectable marker gene for plant transformation is theneomycin phosphotransferase II (nptII) gene which, when under thecontrol of plant regulatory signals, confers resistance to kanamycin.Fraley, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 80:4803 (1983). Anothercommonly used selectable marker gene is the hygromycinphosphotransferase gene which confers resistance to the antibiotichygromycin. Vanden Elzen, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 5:299 (1985).

Additional selectable marker genes of bacterial origin that conferresistance to antibiotics include gentamycin acetyl transferase,streptomycin phosphotransferase and aminoglycoside-3′-adenyltransferase, the bleomycin resistance determinant (Hayford, et al.,Plant Physiol., 86:1216 (1988); Jones, et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 210:86(1987); Svab, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 14:197 (1990); Hille, et al.,Plant Mol. Biol., 7:171 (1986)). Other selectable marker genes conferresistance to herbicides such as glyphosate, glufosinate or bromoxynil(Comai, et al., Nature, 317:741-744 (1985); Gordon-Kamm, et al., PlantCell, 2:603-618 (1990); and Stalker, et al., Science, 242:419-423(1988)).

Other selectable marker genes for plant transformation are not ofbacterial origin. These genes include, for example, mouse dihydrofolatereductase, plant 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase and plantacetolactate synthase. Eichholtz, et al., Somatic Cell Mol. Genet.,13:67 (1987); Shah, et al., Science, 233:478 (1986); and Charest, etal., Plant Cell Rep., 8:643 (1990).

Another class of marker genes for plant transformation requiresscreening of presumptively transformed plant cells rather than directgenetic selection of transformed cells for resistance to a toxicsubstance such as an antibiotic. These genes are particularly useful toquantify or visualize the spatial pattern of expression of a gene inspecific tissues and are frequently referred to as reporter genesbecause they can be fused to a gene or gene regulatory sequence for theinvestigation of gene expression. Commonly used genes for screeningpresumptively transformed cells include β-glucuronidase (GUS),β-galactosidase, luciferase, and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase(Jefferson, R. A., Plant Mol. Biol. Rep., 5:387 (1987); Teeri, et al.,EMBO J., 8:343 (1989); Koncz, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 84:131(1987); DeBlock, et al., EMBO J., 3:1681 (1984)).

In vivo methods for visualizing GUS activity that do not requiredestruction of plant tissue are available. However, these in vivomethods for visualizing GUS activity have not proven useful for recoveryof transformed cells because of low sensitivity, high fluorescentbackgrounds and limitations associated with the use of luciferase genesas selectable markers.

A gene encoding Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) has been utilized as amarker for gene expression in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells (Chalfie,et al., Science, 263:802 (1994)). GFP and mutants of GFP may be used asscreenable markers.

Expression Vectors for Garden Bean Transformation: Promoters

Genes included in expression vectors must be driven by a nucleotidesequence comprising a regulatory element, for example, a promoter.Several types of promoters are well known in the transformation arts asare other regulatory elements that can be used alone or in combinationwith promoters.

As used herein, “promoter” includes reference to a region of DNAupstream from the start of transcription and involved in recognition andbinding of RNA polymerase and other proteins to initiate transcription.A “plant promoter” is a promoter capable of initiating transcription inplant cells. Examples of promoters under developmental control includepromoters that preferentially initiate transcription in certain tissues,such as leaves, roots, seeds, fibers, xylem vessels, tracheids, orsclerenchyma. Such promoters are referred to as “tissue-preferred.”Promoters that initiate transcription only in a certain tissue arereferred to as “tissue-specific.” A “cell-type” specific promoterprimarily drives expression in certain cell types in one or more organs,for example, vascular cells in roots or leaves. An “inducible” promoteris a promoter which is under environmental control. Examples ofenvironmental conditions that may effect transcription by induciblepromoters include anaerobic conditions or the presence of light.Tissue-specific, tissue-preferred, cell-type specific, and induciblepromoters constitute the class of “non-constitutive” promoters. A“constitutive” promoter is a promoter that is active under mostenvironmental conditions.

A. Inducible Promoters—An inducible promoter is operably linked to agene for expression in garden bean. Optionally, the inducible promoteris operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequencewhich is operably linked to a gene for expression in garden bean. Withan inducible promoter the rate of transcription increases in response toan inducing agent.

Any inducible promoter can be used in the instant invention. See, Ward,et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 22:361-366 (1993). Exemplary induciblepromoters include, but are not limited to, that from the ACEI systemwhich responds to copper (Mett, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA,90:4567-4571 (1993)); In2 gene from maize which responds tobenzenesulfonamide herbicide safeners (Gatz, et al., Mol. Gen. Genetics,243:32-38 (1994)), or Tet repressor from Tn10 (Gatz, et al., Mol. Gen.Genetics, 227:229-237 (1991)). A particularly preferred induciblepromoter is a promoter that responds to an inducing agent to whichplants do not normally respond. An exemplary inducible promoter is theinducible promoter from a steroid hormone gene, the transcriptionalactivity of which is induced by a glucocorticosteroid hormone (Schena,et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 88:0421 (1991)).

B. Constitutive Promoters—A constitutive promoter is operably linked toa gene for expression in garden bean or the constitutive promoter isoperably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequencewhich is operably linked to a gene for expression in garden bean.

Many different constitutive promoters can be utilized in the instantinvention. Exemplary constitutive promoters include, but are not limitedto, the promoters from plant viruses such as the 35S promoter from CaMV(Odell, et al., Nature, 313:810-812 (1985)) and the promoters from suchgenes as rice actin (McElroy, et al., Plant Cell 2, 163-171 (1990));ubiquitin (Christensen, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 12:619-632 (1989) andChristensen, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 18:675-689 (1992)); pEMU (Last,et al., Theor. Appl. Genet., 81:581-588 (1991)); MAS (Velten, et al.,EMBO J., 3:2723-2730 (1984)) and maize H3 histone (Lepetit, et al., Mol.Gen. Genetics, 231:276-285 (1992) and Atanassova, et al., Plant Journal,2 (3):291-300 (1992)). The ALS promoter, Xba1/Nco1 fragment 5′ to theBrassica napus ALS3 structural gene (or a nucleotide sequence similarityto said Xba1/Nco1 fragment), represents a particularly usefulconstitutive promoter. See, PCT Application WO 96/30530.

C. Tissue-specific or Tissue-preferred Promoters—A tissue-specificpromoter is operably linked to a gene for expression in garden bean.Optionally, the tissue-specific promoter is operably linked to anucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence which is operably linkedto a gene for expression in garden bean. Plants transformed with a geneof interest operably linked to a tissue-specific promoter produce theprotein product of the transgene exclusively, or preferentially, in aspecific tissue.

Any tissue-specific or tissue-preferred promoter can be utilized in theinstant invention. Exemplary tissue-specific or tissue-preferredpromoters include, but are not limited to, a root-preferred promotersuch as that from the phaseolin gene (Murai, et al., Science, 23:476-482(1983) and Sengupta-Gopalan, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA82:3320-3324 (1985)); a leaf-specific and light-induced promoter such asthat from cab or rubisco (Simpson, et al., EMBO J., 4(11):2723-2729(1985) and Timko, et al., Nature, 318:579-582 (1985)); ananther-specific promoter such as that from LAT52 (Twell, et al., Mol.Gen. Genetics, 217:240-245 (1989)); a pollen-specific promoter such asthat from Zm13 or a microspore-preferred promoter such as that from apg(Twell, et al., Sex. Plant Reprod., 6:217-224 (1993)).

Signal Sequences for Targeting Proteins to Subcellular Compartments

Transport of protein produced by transgenes to a subcellular compartmentsuch as the chloroplast, vacuole, peroxisome, glyoxysome, cell wall, ormitochondrion or for secretion into the apoplast, is accomplished bymeans of operably linking the nucleotide sequence encoding a signalsequence to the 5′ and/or 3′ region of a gene encoding the protein ofinterest. Targeting sequences at the 5′ and/or 3′ end of the structuralgene may determine during protein synthesis and processing where theencoded protein is ultimately compartmentalized.

The presence of a signal sequence directs a polypeptide to either anintracellular organelle or subcellular compartment or for secretion tothe apoplast. Many signal sequences are known in the art. See, forexample, Becker, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 20:49 (1992); Knox, C., etal., “Structure and Organization of Two Divergent Alpha-Amylase Genesfrom Barley,” Plant Mol. Biol., 9:3-17 (1987); Lerner, et al., PlantPhysiol., 91:124-129 (1989); Fontes, et al., Plant Cell, 3:483-496(1991); Matsuoka, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 88:834 (1991); Gould,et al., J. Cell. Biol., 108:1657 (1989); Creissen, et al., Plant J.,2:129 (1991); Kalderon, et al., Cell, 39:499-509 (1984); Steifel, etal., “Expression of a maize cell wall hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteingene in early leaf and root vascular differentiation,” Plant Cell,2:785-793 (1990).

Foreign Protein Genes and Agronomic Genes

With transgenic plants according to the present invention, a foreignprotein can be produced in commercial quantities. Thus, techniques forthe selection and propagation of transformed plants, which are wellunderstood in the art, yield a plurality of transgenic plants which areharvested in a conventional manner, and a foreign protein then can beextracted from a tissue of interest or from total biomass. Proteinextraction from plant biomass can be accomplished by known methods whichare discussed, for example, by Heney and Orr, Anal. Biochem., 114:92-6(1981).

According to a preferred embodiment, the transgenic plant provided forcommercial production of foreign protein is a garden bean plant. Inanother preferred embodiment, the biomass of interest is seed. For therelatively small number of transgenic plants that show higher levels ofexpression, a genetic map can be generated, primarily via conventionalRFLP, PCR and SSR analysis, which identifies the approximate chromosomallocation of the integrated DNA molecule. For exemplary methodologies inthis regard, see Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology,Glick and Thompson Eds., CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, 269:284 (1993).Map information concerning chromosomal location is useful forproprietary protection of a subject transgenic plant. If unauthorizedpropagation is undertaken and crosses made with other germplasm, the mapof the integration region can be compared to similar maps for suspectplants, to determine if the latter have a common parentage with thesubject plant. Map comparisons would involve hybridizations, RFLP, PCR,SSR, and sequencing, all of which are conventional techniques.

Likewise, by means of the present invention, agronomic genes can beexpressed in transformed plants. More particularly, plants can begenetically engineered to express various phenotypes of agronomicinterest. Exemplary genes implicated in this regard include, but are notlimited to, those categorized below:

1. Genes that Confer Resistance to Pests or Disease and that Encode:

A. Plant disease resistance genes. Plant defences are often activated byspecific interaction between the product of a disease resistance gene(R) in the plant and the product of a corresponding avirulence (Avr)gene in the pathogen. A plant variety can be transformed with one ormore cloned resistance genes to engineer plants that are resistant tospecific pathogen strains. See, for example, Jones, et al., Science,266:789 (1994) (cloning of the tomato Cf-9 gene for resistance toCladosporium fulvum); Martin, et al., Science, 262:1432 (1993) (tomatoPto gene for resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato encodes aprotein kinase); Mindrinos, et al., Cell, 78:1089 (1994) (ArabidopsisRSP2 gene for resistance to Pseudomonas syringae).

B. A Bacillus thuringiensis protein, a derivative thereof or a syntheticpolypeptide modelled thereon. See, for example, Geiser, et al., Gene,48:109 (1986), who disclose the cloning and nucleotide sequence of a Btδ-endotoxin gene. Moreover, DNA molecules encoding δ-endotoxin genes canbe purchased from American Type Culture Collection, Manassas, Va., forexample, under ATCC Accession Nos. 40098, 67136, 31995, and 31998.

C. A lectin. See, for example, Van Damme, et al., Plant Molec. Biol.,24:25 (1994), who disclose the nucleotide sequences of several Cliviaminiata mannose-binding lectin genes.

D. A vitamin-binding protein such as avidin. See, PCT Application US93/06487 which teaches the use of avidin and avidin homologues aslarvicides against insect pests.

E. An enzyme inhibitor, for example, a protease or proteinase inhibitoror an amylase inhibitor. See, for example, Abe, et al., J. Biol. Chem.,262:16793 (1987) (nucleotide sequence of rice cysteine proteinaseinhibitor); Huub, et al., Plant Molec. Biol., 21:985 (1993) (nucleotidesequence of cDNA encoding tobacco proteinase inhibitor I); Sumitani, etal., Biosci. Biotech. Biochem., 57:1243 (1993) (nucleotide sequence ofStreptomyces nitrosporeus α-amylase inhibitor).

F. An insect-specific hormone or pheromone such as an ecdysteroid orjuvenile hormone, a variant thereof, a mimetic based thereon, or anantagonist or agonist thereof. See, for example, the disclosure byHammock, et al., Nature, 344:458 (1990), of baculovirus expression ofcloned juvenile hormone esterase, an inactivator of juvenile hormone.

G. An insect-specific peptide or neuropeptide which, upon expression,disrupts the physiology of the affected pest. For example, see thedisclosure of Pratt, et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm., 163:1243(1989) (an allostatin is identified in Diploptera puntata). See also,U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,317 to Tomalski, et al., which discloses genesencoding insect-specific, paralytic neurotoxins.

H. An insect-specific venom produced in nature by a snake, a wasp, etc.For example, see Pang, et al., Gene, 116:165 (1992), for disclosure ofheterologous expression in plants of a gene coding for a scorpioninsectotoxic peptide.

I. An enzyme responsible for a hyperaccumulation of a monoterpene, asesquiterpene, a steroid, hydroxamic acid, a phenylpropanoid derivativeor another non-protein molecule with insecticidal activity.

J. An enzyme involved in the modification, including thepost-translational modification, of a biologically active molecule, forexample, a glycolytic enzyme, a proteolytic enzyme, a lipolytic enzyme,a nuclease, a cyclase, a transaminase, an esterase, a hydrolase, aphosphatase, a kinase, a phosphorylase, a polymerase, an elastase, achitinase, and a glucanase, whether natural or synthetic. See, PCTApplication WO 93/02197 (Scott, et al.), which discloses the nucleotidesequence of a callase gene. DNA molecules which containchitinase-encoding sequences can be obtained, for example, from the ATCCunder Accession Nos. 39637 and 67152. See also, Kramer, et al., InsectBiochem. Molec. Biol., 23:691 (1993), who teach the nucleotide sequenceof a cDNA encoding tobacco hornworm chitinase, and Kawalleck, et al.,Plant Molec. Biol., 21:673 (1993), who provide the nucleotide sequenceof the parsley ubi4-2 polyubiquitin gene.

K. A molecule that stimulates signal transduction. For example, see thedisclosure by Botella, et al., Plant Molec. Biol., 24:757 (1994), ofnucleotide sequences for mung bean calmodulin cDNA clones, and Griess,et al., Plant Physiol., 104:1467 (1994), who provide the nucleotidesequence of a maize calmodulin cDNA clone.

L. A hydrophobic moment peptide. See, PCT Application WO 95/16776, whichdiscloses peptide derivatives of tachyplesin which inhibit fungal plantpathogens, and PCT Application WO 95/18855, which teaches syntheticantimicrobial peptides that confer disease resistance.

M. A membrane permease, a channel former, or a channel blocker. Forexample, see the disclosure of Jaynes, et al., Plant Sci, 89:43 (1993),of heterologous expression of a cecropin-β lytic peptide analog torender transgenic tobacco plants resistant to Pseudomonas solanacearum.

N. A viral-invasive protein or a complex toxin derived therefrom. Forexample, the accumulation of viral coat proteins in transformed plantcells imparts resistance to viral infection and/or disease developmenteffected by the virus from which the coat protein gene is derived, aswell as by related viruses. See, Beachy, et al., Ann. Rev. Phytopathol.,28:451 (1990). Coat protein-mediated resistance has been conferred upontransformed plants against alfalfa mosaic virus, cucumber mosaic virusand tobacco streak virus, potato virus X, potato virus Y, tobacco etchvirus, tobacco rattle virus, and tobacco mosaic virus. Id.

O. An insect-specific antibody or an immunotoxin derived therefrom.Thus, an antibody targeted to a critical metabolic function in theinsect gut would inactivate an affected enzyme, killing the insect.

P. A virus-specific antibody. See, for example, Tavladoraki, et al.,Nature, 366:469 (1993), who show that transgenic plants expressingrecombinant antibody genes are protected from virus attack.

Q. A developmental-arrestive protein produced in nature by a pathogen ora parasite. Thus, fungal endo-α-1, 4-D-polygalacturonases facilitatefungal colonization and plant nutrient release by solubilising plantcell wall homo-α-1,4-D-galacturonase. See, Lamb, et al., Bio/Technology,10:1436 (1992).

R. A developmental-arrestive protein produced in nature by a plant. Forexample, Logemann, et al., Bio/Technology, 10:305 (1992), have shownthat transgenic plants expressing the barley ribosome-inactivating genehave an increased resistance to fungal disease.

S. Genes involved in the Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) Responseand/or the pathogenesis-related genes. Briggs, S., “Plant diseaseresistance. Grand unification system theory in sight,” Current Biology,5(2) (1995).

T. Antifungal genes. See, Cornelissen and Melchers, “Strategies forControl of Fungal Diseases with Transgenic Plants,” Plant Physiol.,101:709-712 (1993); and Bushnell, et al., “Genetic Engineering ofDisease Resistance in Cereal,” Can. J. of Plant Path., 20(2):137-149(1998).

2. Genes that Confer Resistance to an Herbicide, for Example:

A. An herbicide that inhibits the growing point or meristem, such as animidazolinone or a sulfonylurea. Exemplary genes in this category codefor mutant ALS and AHAS enzyme as described, for example, by Lee, etal., EMBO J., 7:1241 (1988), and Miki, et al., Theor. Appl. Genet.,80:449 (1990), respectively.

B. Glyphosate (resistance conferred by mutant5-enolpyruvlshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) and aroA genes,respectively) and other phosphono compounds such as glufosinate(phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (PAT) and Streptomyceshygroscopicus PAT bar genes), and pyridinoxy or phenoxy proprionic acidsand cyclohexones (ACCase inhibitor-encoding genes). See, for example,U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,835 to Shah, et al., which discloses the nucleotidesequence of a form of EPSPS which can confer glyphosate resistance. ADNA molecule encoding a mutant aroA gene can be obtained under ATCCAccession No. 39256, and the nucleotide sequence of the mutant gene isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,061 to Comai. European PatentApplication No. 0 333 033 to Kumada, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,374to Goodman, et al., disclose nucleotide sequences of glutaminesynthetase genes which confer resistance to herbicides such asL-phosphinothricin. See also, Russel, D. R., et al., Plant Cell Report,12:3 165-169 (1993). The nucleotide sequence of aphosphinothricin-acetyl-transferase (PAT) gene is provided in EuropeanApplication No. 0 242 246 to Leemans, et al. DeGreef, et al.,Bio/Technology, 7:61 (1989) describe the production of transgenic plantsthat express chimeric bar genes coding for phosphinothricin acetyltransferase activity. Exemplary of genes conferring resistance tophenoxy proprionic acids and cyclohexones, such as sethoxydim andhaloxyfop, are the Acc1-S1, Acc1-S2, and Acc2-S3 genes described byMarshall, et al., Theor. Appl. Genet., 83:435 (1992).

C. An herbicide that inhibits photosynthesis, such as a triazine (psbAand gs+ genes) and a benzonitrile (nitrilase gene). Przibila, et al.,Plant Cell, 3:169 (1991), describe the transformation of Chlamydomonaswith plasmids encoding mutant psbA genes. Nucleotide sequences fornitrilase genes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,648 to Stalker andDNA molecules containing these genes are available under ATCC AccessionNos. 53435, 67441, and 67442. Cloning and expression of DNA coding for aglutathione S-transferase is described by Hayes, et al., Biochem. J.,285:173 (1992).

D. Acetohydroxy acid synthase, which has been found to make plants thatexpress this enzyme resistant to multiple types of herbicides, has beenintroduced into a variety of plants. See, Hattori, et al., “AnAcetohydroxy acid synthase mutant reveals a single site involved inmultiple herbicide resistance,” Mol. Gen. Genet., 246:419-425 (1995).Other genes that confer tolerance to herbicides include a gene encodinga chimeric protein of rat cytochrome P4507A1 and yeast NADPH-cytochromeP450 oxidoreductase (Shiota, et al., “Herbicide-resistant Tobacco PlantsExpressing the Fused Enzyme between Rat Cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) andYeast NADPH-Cytochrome P450 Oxidoreductase,” Plant Physiol., 106:17(1994)), genes for glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase (Aono,et al., “Paraquat tolerance of transgenic Nicotiana tabacum withenhanced activities of glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase,”Plant Cell Physiol., 36:1687 (1995)), and genes for variousphosphotransferases (Datta, et al., “Herbicide-resistant Indica riceplants from IRRI breeding line IR72 after PEG-mediated transformation ofprotoplants,” Plant Mol. Biol., 20:619 (1992).

E. Protoporphyrinogen oxidase (protox) is necessary for the productionof chlorophyll, which is necessary for all plant survival. The protoxenzyme serves as the target for a variety of herbicidal compounds. Theseherbicides also inhibit growth of all the different species of plantspresent, causing their total destruction. The development of plantscontaining altered protox activity which are resistant to theseherbicides are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,288,306, 6,282,837,5,767,373, and International Publication WO 01/12825.

3. Genes that Confer or Contribute to a Value-Added Trait, Such as:

A. Delayed and attenuated symptoms to Bean Golden Mosaic Geminivirus(BGMV), for example, by transforming a plant with antisense genes fromthe Brazilian BGMV. See, Arago, et al., Molecular Breeding, 4:6, 491-499(1998).

B. Increased the bean content in Methionine by introducing a transgenecoding for a Methionine rich storage albumin (2S-albumin) from theBrazil nut as described in Arago, et al., Genetics and MolecularBiology., 22:3, 445-449 (1999).

Methods for Garden Bean Transformation

Numerous methods for plant transformation have been developed includingbiological and physical plant transformation protocols. See, forexample, Miki, et al., “Procedures for Introducing Foreign DNA intoPlants,” in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Glickand Thompson Eds., CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, pp. 67-88 (1993). Inaddition, expression vectors and in-vitro culture methods for plant cellor tissue transformation and regeneration of plants are available. See,for example, Gruber, et al., “Vectors for Plant Transformation” inMethods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Glick and ThompsonEds., CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, pp. 89-119 (1993).

A. Agrobacterium-mediated Transformation—One method for introducing anexpression vector into plants is based on the natural transformationsystem of Agrobacterium. See, for example, Horsch, et al., Science,227:1229 (1985); Diant, et al., Molecular Breeding, 3:1, 75-86 (1997).A. tumefaciens and A. rhizogenes are plant pathogenic soil bacteriawhich genetically transform plant cells. The Ti and Ri plasmids of A.tumefaciens and A. rhizogenes, respectively, carry genes responsible forgenetic transformation of the plant. See, for example, Kado, C.I., Crit.Rev. Plant Sci., 10:1 (1991). Descriptions of Agrobacterium vectorsystems and methods for Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer areprovided by Gruber, et al., supra, Miki, et al., supra, and Moloney, etal., Plant Cell Reports, 8:238 (1989). See also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,616issued Jan. 7, 1997.

B. Direct Gene Transfer—Despite the fact the host range forAgrobacterium-mediated transformation is broad, some cereal or vegetablecrop species and gymnosperms have generally been recalcitrant to thismode of gene transfer, even though some success has been achieved inrice and corn. Hiei, et al., The Plant Journal, 6:271-282 (1994) andU.S. Pat. No. 5,591,616 issued Jan. 7, 1997. Several methods of planttransformation, collectively referred to as direct gene transfer, havebeen developed as an alternative to Agrobacterium-mediatedtransformation. A generally applicable method of plant transformation ismicroprojectile-mediated transformation where DNA is carried on thesurface of microprojectiles measuring 1 to 4 microns. The expressionvector is introduced into plant tissues with a biolistic device thataccelerates the microprojectiles to speeds of 300 to 600 m/s which issufficient to penetrate plant cell walls and membranes. Russell, D. R.,et al., Pl. Cell. Rep., 12, 165-169 (3 Jan. 1993); Aragao, F. J. L., etal., Plant Mol. Biol., 20, 357-359 (2 Oct. 1992); Aragao, Theor. Appl.Genet., 93:142-150 (1996); Kim, J.; Minamikawa, T., Plant Science,117:131-138 (1996); Sanford, et al., Part. Sci. Technol., 5:27 (1987);Sanford, J.C., Trends Biotech., 6:299 (1988); Klein, et al., Bio/Tech.,6:559-563 (1988); Sanford, J.C., Physiol Plant, 7:206 (1990); Klein, etal., Biotechnology, 10:268 (1992).

Another method for physical delivery of DNA to plants is sonication oftarget cells. Zhang, et al., Bio/Technology, 9:996 (1991).Alternatively, liposome and spheroplast fusion have been used tointroduce expression vectors into plants. Deshayes, et al., EMBO J.,4:2731 (1985); Christou, et al., Proc Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 84:3962(1987). Direct uptake of DNA into protoplasts using CaCl₂ precipitation,polyvinyl alcohol or poly-L-ornithine have also been reported. Hain, etal., Mol. Gen. Genet., 199:161 (1985) and Draper, et al., Plant CellPhysiol., 23:451 (1982). Electroporation of protoplasts and whole cellsand tissues have also been described Saker, M. and Kuhne, T., BiologiaPlantarum, 40(4):507-514 (1997/98); D'Halluin, et al., Plant Cell,4:1495-1505 (1992); and Spencer, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 24:51-61(1994)).

Following transformation of garden bean target tissues, expression ofthe above-described selectable marker genes allows for preferentialselection of transformed cells, tissues and/or plants, usingregeneration and selection methods well known in the art.

The foregoing methods for transformation would typically be used forproducing a transgenic variety. The transgenic variety could then becrossed with another (non-transformed or transformed) variety in orderto produce a new transgenic variety. Alternatively, a genetic trait thathas been engineered into a particular garden bean line using theforegoing transformation techniques could be moved into another lineusing traditional backcrossing techniques that are well known in theplant breeding arts. For example, a backcrossing approach could be usedto move an engineered trait from a public, non-elite variety into anelite variety, or from a variety containing a foreign gene in its genomeinto a variety or varieties that do not contain that gene. As usedherein, “crossing” can refer to a simple X by Y cross or the process ofbackcrossing depending on the context.

Backcrossing

When the term garden bean plant, cultivar or bean line are used in thecontext of the present invention, this also includes cultivars where oneor more desired traits has been introduced through backcrossing methods,whether such trait is a naturally occurring one or a transgenic one.Backcrossing methods can be used with the present invention to improveor introduce a characteristic into the line. The term “backcrossing” asused herein refers to the repeated crossing of a hybrid progeny back tothe recurrent parent, i.e., backcrossing one, two, three, four, five,six, seven, eight, nine, or more times to the recurrent parent. Theparental bean plant which contributes the gene for the desiredcharacteristic is termed the nonrecurrent or donor parent. Thisterminology refers to the fact that the nonrecurrent parent is used onetime in the backcross protocol and therefore does not recur. Theparental bean plant to which the gene or genes from the nonrecurrentparent are transferred is known as the recurrent parent as it is usedfor several rounds in the backcrossing protocol.

In a typical backcross protocol, the original cultivar of interest(recurrent parent) is crossed to a second line (nonrecurrent parent)that carries the gene or genes of interest to be transferred. Theresulting progeny from this cross are then crossed again to therecurrent parent and the process is repeated until a garden bean plantis obtained wherein essentially all of the desired morphological andphysiological characteristics of the recurrent parent are recovered inthe converted plant, generally determined at a 5% significance levelwhen grown in the same environmental condition, in addition to the geneor genes transferred from the nonrecurrent parent. It has to be notedthat some, one, two, three, or more, self-pollination and growing ofpopulation might be included between two successive backcrosses. Indeed,an appropriate selection in the population produced by theself-pollination, i.e., selection for the desired trait andphysiological and morphological characteristics of the recurrent parentmight be equivalent to one, two or even three, additional backcrosses ina continuous series without rigorous selection, saving time, money andeffort to the breeder. A non limiting example of such a protocol wouldbe the following: (a) the first generation F₁ produced by the cross ofthe recurrent parent A by the donor parent B is backcrossed to parent A;(b) selection is practiced for the plants having the desired trait ofparent B; (c) selected plants are self-pollinated to produce apopulation of plants where selection is practiced for the plants havingthe desired trait of parent B and the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of parent A; (d) the selected plants are backcrossedone, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, or more times toparent A to produce selected backcross progeny plants comprising thedesired trait of parent B and the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of parent A. Step (c) may or may not be repeated andincluded between the backcrosses of step (d).

The selection of a suitable recurrent parent is an important step for asuccessful backcrossing procedure. The goal of a backcross protocol isto alter or substitute a single trait or characteristic in the originalline. To accomplish this, a gene or genes of the recurrent cultivar ismodified or substituted with the desired gene from the nonrecurrentparent, while retaining essentially all of the rest of the desiredgenetic, and therefore the desired physiological and morphological,constitution of the original line. The choice of the particularnonrecurrent parent will depend on the purpose of the backcross, one ofthe major purposes is to add some commercially desirable, agronomicalimportant trait to the plant. The exact backcrossing protocol willdepend on the characteristic or trait being altered to determine anappropriate testing protocol. Although backcrossing methods aresimplified when the characteristic being transferred is a single geneand dominant allele, multiple genes and recessive allele(s) may also betransferred and therefore, backcross breeding is by no means restrictedto character(s) governed by one or a few genes. In fact the number ofgenes might be less important than the identification of thecharacter(s) in the segregating population. In this instance it may thenbe necessary to introduce a test of the progeny to determine if thedesired characteristic(s) has been successfully transferred. Such testsencompass visual inspection, simple crossing but also follow up of thecharacteristic(s) through genetically associated markers and molecularassisted breeding tools. For example, selection of progeny containingthe transferred trait is done by direct selection, visual inspection fora trait associated with a dominant allele, while the selection ofprogeny for a trait that is transferred via a recessive allele requiresselfing the progeny to determine which plant carries the recessiveallele(s).

Many single gene traits have been identified that are not regularlyselected for in the development of a new line but that can be improvedby backcrossing techniques. Single gene traits may or may not betransgenic. Examples of these traits include, but are not limited to,herbicide resistance (such as bar or pat genes), resistance forbacterial, fungal, or viral disease (such as gene I used for BCMVresistance), insect resistance, enhanced nutritional quality (such as 2salbumine gene), industrial usage, agronomic qualities (such as the“persistent green gene”), yield stability, and yield enhancement. Thesegenes are generally inherited through the nucleus. Some other singlegene traits are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,777,196, 5,948,957, and5,969,212, the disclosures of which are specifically hereby incorporatedby reference.

In 1981 the backcross method of breeding accounted for 17% of the totalbreeding effort for inbred corn line development in the United States,according to, Hallauer, A. R., et al., “Corn Breeding,” Corn and CornImprovement, No. 18, pp. 463-481 (1988).

The backcross breeding method provides a precise way of improvingvarieties that excel in a large number of attributes but are deficientin a few characteristics. (Page 150 of the Pr. R. W. Allard's 1960 book,Principles of Plant Breeding, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) Themethod makes use of a series of backcrosses to the variety to beimproved during which the character or the characters in whichimprovement is sought is maintained by selection. At the end of thebackcrossing the gene or genes being transferred unlike all other genes,will be heterozygous. Selfing after the last backcross produceshomozygosity for this gene pair(s) and, coupled with selection, willresult in a variety with exactly the adaptation, yielding ability, andquality characteristics of the recurrent parent but superior to thatparent in the particular characteristic(s) for which the improvementprogram was undertaken. Therefore, this method provides the plantbreeder with a high degree of genetic control of his work.

The backcross method is scientifically exact because the morphologicaland agricultural features of the improved variety could be described inadvance and because the same variety could, if it were desired, be breda second time by retracing the same steps (Briggs, “Breeding wheatsresistant to bunt by the backcross method,” Jour. Amer. Soc. Agron.,22:289-244 (1930)).

Backcrossing is a powerful mechanism for achieving homozygosity and anypopulation obtained by backcrossing must rapidly converge on thegenotype of the recurrent parent. When backcrossing is made the basis ofa plant breeding program, the genotype of the recurrent parent will bemodified only with regards to genes being transferred, which aremaintained in the population by selection.

Successful backcrosses are, for example, the transfer of stem rustresistance from ‘Hope’ wheat to ‘Bart’ wheat and even pursuing thebackcrosses with the transfer of bunt resistance to create ‘Bart 38’,having both resistances. Also highlighted by Allard is the successfultransfer of mildew, leaf spot and wilt resistances in ‘CaliforniaCommon’ alfalfa to create ‘Caliverde’. This new ‘Caliverde’ varietyproduced through the backcross process is indistinguishable from‘California Common’ except for its resistance to the three nameddiseases.

One of the advantages of the backcross method is that the breedingprogram can be carried out in almost every environment that will allowthe development of the character being transferred.

The backcross technique is not only desirable when breeding for diseaseresistance but also for the adjustment of morphological characters,color characteristics, and simply inherited quantitative characters,such as earliness, plant height, and seed size and shape. In thisregard, a medium grain type variety, ‘Calady’, has been produced byJones and Davis. As dealing with quantitative characteristics, theyselected the donor parent with the view of sacrificing some of theintensity of the character for which it was chosen, i.e., grain size.‘Lady Wright’, a long grain variety was used as the donor parent and‘Coloro’, a short grain variety as the recurrent parent. After fourbackcrosses, the medium grain type variety ‘Calady’ was produced.

DEPOSIT INFORMATION

A deposit of the garden bean seeds of this invention is maintained byHarris Moran Seed Company, Sun Prairie Research Station, 1677 MullerRoad, Sun Prairie, Wis. 53590. In addition, a sample of the garden beanseed of this invention has been deposited with the National Collectionsof Industrial, Food and Marine Bacteria (NCIMB), 23 St Machar Drive,Aberdeen, Scotland, AB24 3RY, United Kingdom.

To satisfy the enablement requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112, and to certifythat the deposit of the isolated strain of the present invention meetsthe criteria set forth in 37 CFR 1.801-1.809, Applicants hereby make thefollowing statements regarding the deposited garden bean cultivarHMX4101 (deposited as NCIMB Accession No. ______), HMX4127 (deposited asNCIMB Accession No. ______), HMX4129 (deposited as NCIMB Accession No.______), HMX5106 (deposited as NCIMB Accession No. ______), HMX5107(deposited as NCIMB Accession No. ______), HMX5108 (deposited as NCIMBAccession No. ______)

-   -   1. During the pendency of this application, access to the        invention will be afforded to the Commissioner upon request;    -   2. Upon granting of the patent the strain will be available to        the public under conditions specified in 37 CFR 1.808;    -   3. The deposit will be maintained in a public repository for a        period of 30 years or 5 years after the last request or for the        enforceable life of the patent, whichever is longer; and    -   4. The viability of the biological material at the time of        deposit will be tested; and    -   5. The deposit will be replaced if it should ever become        unavailable.

Access to this deposit will be available during the pendency of thisapplication to persons determined by the Commissioner of Patents andTrademarks to be entitled thereto under 37 C.F.R. §1.14 and 35 U.S.C.§122. Upon allowance of any claims in this application, all restrictionson the availability to the public of the variety will be irrevocablyremoved by affording access to a deposit of at least 2,500 seeds of thesame variety with the NCIMB.

The invention will be irrevocably and without restriction released tothe public upon the issuance of a patent.

In Table 7, the traits and characteristics of garden bean cultivar HMX4101 are compared to the ‘Caprice’ variety of garden beans. The data wascollected from two field locations in the United States. The field testsare experimental trials and have been made under supervision of theapplicant.

The first column shows the variety name.

The second column shows the location of testing. “Heath” indicatesColoma, Wis., “SunPrairie” indicates Sun Prairie, Wis.; “spr” indicatesspring-time; and “fall” indicates fall-time. The number “1”, “2”, “3”,or “4” indicates the first, second, third, or fourth planting at thelocation.

The third column shows the plant height in inches.

The fourth column shows the plant width in inches.

The fifth column indicates the plant habit (structure) with 1=prone (orsprawling) and 9=upright (or erect).

The sixth column indicates the pod length in millimeters.

The seventh column shows the relative pod color with 1=light and 9=dark.

The eighth column shows the relative maturity (the number of days toedible pods).

The ninth column shows the leaf color with 1=light and 9=dark

The tenth column shows the leaf size with 1=small and 9=large

The eleventh column shows the leaf surface 1=dull and 9=glossy

TABLE 7 Characteristic Comparisons for Field Trials Plant Plant PlantPod Pod Leaf Leaf Leaf Variety LOCATION Height Width Habit Length ColorMaturity Color Size Surface HMX 4101 Heath2 17 18 6 130 6 57 7 5 7SunPrairie1 20 21 6 135 6 58 7 4 7 SunPrairie2 16 20 6 130 6 59 7 5 717.7 19.7 6.0 131.7 6.0 58.0 7.0 4.7 7.0 Caprice Heath2 16 16 6 130 6 587 5 7 SunPrairie1 22 22 6 150 6 58 7 5 7 SunPrairie2 16 19 6 155 6 59 75 7 18.0 19.0 6.0 145.0 6.0 58.3 7.0 5.0 7.0

In Table 8, the traits and characteristics of garden bean cultivar HMX4127 are compared to the ‘Navarro’ variety of garden beans. The data wascollected from two field locations in the United States. The field testsare experimental trials and have been made under supervision of theapplicant.

The first column shows the variety name.

The second column shows the location of testing. “Heath” indicatesColoma, Wis., “SunPrairie” indicates Sun Prairie, Wis.; “spr” indicatesspring-time; and “fall” indicates fall-time. The number “1”, “2”, “3”,or “4” indicates the first, second, third, or fourth planting at thelocation.

The third column shows the pounds of pods harvested from 5 feet of row.

The fourth column indicates the plant habit (structure) with 1=prone (orsprawling) and 9=upright (or erect).

The fifth column shows the relative pod color with 1=light and 9=dark.

The sixth column indicates the pod length in millimeters.

The seventh column indicates the pod width in millimetres

The ninth column shows the leaf color with 1=light and 9=dark

The tenth column shows the leaf size with 1=small and 9=large

The eleventh column shows the leaf surface 1=dull and 9=glossy

TABLE 8 Characteristic Comparisons for Field Trials Plant Pod Pod PodLeaf Leaf Leaf VARIETY LOCATION Yield Habit color Length Width ColorSize Surface HMX 4127 Heath1 3.90 7 6 130 18 7 6 6 SunPrairie1 4.80 6 6130 16 7 6 6 SunPrairie2 4.50 6 6 130 16 7 6 6 4.4 6.3 6.0 130.0 16.77.0 6.0 6.0 Navarro Heath1 2.40 5 4 135 19 7 6 6 SunPrairie1 5.10 4 4145 17 7 6 6 SunPrairie2 3.50 5 4 160 17 7 6 6 3.7 4.7 4.0 146.7 17.77.0 6.0 6.0

In Table 9, the traits and characteristics of garden bean cultivar HMX4129 are compared to the ‘Pike’ variety of garden beans. The data wascollected two field locations in the United States. The field tests areexperimental trials and have been made under supervision of theapplicant.

The first column shows the variety name.

The second column shows the location of testing. “Heath” indicatesColoma, Wis., “SunPrairie” indicates Sun Prairie, Wis.; “spr” indicatesspring-time; and “fall” indicates fall-time. The number “1”, “2”, “3”,or “4” indicates the first, second, third, or fourth planting at thelocation.

The third column shows the plant height in inches.

The fourth column shows the plant width in inches.

The fifth column indicates the plant habit (structure) with 1=prone (orsprawling) and 9=upright (or erect).

The sixth column indicates the pod length in millimeters.

The seventh column shows the relative pod color with 1=light and 9=dark.

The eighth column shows the relative maturity (the number of days toedible pods).

The ninth column shows the leaf color with 1=light and 9=dark

The tenth column shows the leaf size with 1=small and 9=large

The eleventh column shows the leaf surface 1=dull and 9=glossy

TABLE 9 Characteristic Comparisons for Field Trials Plant Plant PlantPod Pod Leaf Leaf Leaf Variety LOCATION Height Width Habit Length ColorMaturity Color Size Surface HMX 4129 Heath2 16 19 5 140 6 61 7 4 7SunPrairie1 18 21 6 140 5 60 7 5 7 SunPrairie2 17 19 6 130 6 58 7 4 717.0 19.7 5.7 136.7 5.7 59.7 7.0 4.3 7.0 Pike Heath2 19 17 7 130 7 60 74 7 SunPrairie1 17 21 7 140 7 61 7 4 7 SunPrairie2 19 20 6 135 7 61 7 47 18.3 19.3 6.7 135.0 7.0 60.7 7.0 4.0 7.0

In Table 10, the traits and characteristics of garden bean cultivar HMX5106 are compared to the ‘Ambra’ variety of garden beans. The data wascollected two field locations in the United States. The field tests areexperimental trials and have been made under supervision of theapplicant.

The first column shows the variety name.

The second column shows the location of testing. “Crossville” indicatesCrossville, Tenn., “Cookeville” indicates Cookeville, Tenn.

The third column shows the plant height in inches.

The fourth column shows the plant width in inches.

The fifth column indicates the plant habit (structure) with 1=prone (orsprawling) and 9=upright (or erect).

The sixth column indicates the pod length in millimeters.

The seventh column shows the relative pod color with 1=light and 9=dark.

The eighth column shows the relative maturity (the number of days toedible pods).

The ninth column shows the leaf color with 1=light and 9=dark

The tenth column shows the leaf size with 1=small and 9=large

The eleventh column shows the leaf surface 1=dull and 9=glossy

TABLE 10 Characteristic Comparisons for Field Trials Plant Plant PlantPod Pod Leaf Leaf Leaf Variety LOCATION Height Width Habit Length ColorMaturity Color Size Surface HMX 5106 Cookeville 17 23 5 135 6 57 7 5 7Crossville 14 17 5 120 5 60 7 5 7 15.5 20.0 5.0 127.5 5.5 58.5 7.0 5.07.0 Ambra Cookeville 16 26 4 150 3 53 5 7 5 Crossville 15 19 4 135 4 595 7 5 15.5 22.5 4.0 142.5 3.5 56.0 5.0 7.0 5.0

In Table 11, the traits and characteristics of garden bean cultivar HMX5107 are compared to the ‘Caprice’ variety of garden beans. The data wascollected two field locations in the United States. The field tests areexperimental trials and have been made under supervision of theapplicant.

The first column shows the variety name.

The second column shows the location of testing. “Heath” indicatesColoma, Wis., “SunPrairie” indicates Sun Prairie, Wis.; “spr” indicatesspring-time; and “fall” indicates fall-time. The number “1”, “2”, “3”,or “4” indicates the first, second, third, or fourth planting at thelocation.

The third column shows the plant height in inches.

The fourth column shows the plant width in inches.

The fifth column indicates the plant habit (structure) with 1=prone (orsprawling) and 9=upright (or erect).

The sixth column indicates the pod length in millimeters.

The seventh column shows the relative pod color with 1=light and 9=dark.

The eighth column shows the relative maturity (the number of days toedible pods).

The ninth column shows the leaf color with 1=light and 9=dark

The tenth column shows the leaf size with 1=small and 9=large

The eleventh column shows the leaf surface 1=dull and 9=glossy

TABLE 11 Characteristic Comparisons for Field Trials Plant Plant PlantPod Pod Leaf Leaf Leaf Variety LOCATION Height Width Habit Length ColorMaturity Color Size Surface HMX 5107 Heath2 16 16 6 130 8 58 7 5 7SunPrairie1 22 20 6 135 8 59 8 5 6 SunPrairie2 18 20 6 130 7 59 7 5 718.7 18.7 6.0 131.7 7.7 58.7 7.3 5.0 6.7 Caprice Heath2 16 16 6 130 6 587 5 7 SunPrairie1 22 22 6 150 6 58 7 5 7 SunPrairie2 16 19 6 155 6 59 75 7 18.0 19.0 6.0 145.0 6.0 58.3 7.0 5.0 7.0

In Table 12, the traits and characteristics of garden bean cultivar HMX5108 are compared to the ‘Hystyle’ variety of garden beans. The data wascollected two field locations in the United States. The field tests areexperimental trials and have been made under supervision of theapplicant.

The first column shows the variety name.

The second column shows the location of testing. “Heath” indicatesColoma, Wis., “SunPrairie” indicates Sun Prairie, Wis.; “spr” indicatesspring-time; and “fall” indicates fall-time. The number “1”, “2”, “3”,or “4” indicates the first, second, third, or fourth planting at thelocation.

The third column shows the plant height in inches.

The fourth column shows the plant width in inches.

The fifth column indicates the plant habit (structure) with 1=prone (orsprawling) and 9=upright (or erect).

The sixth column indicates the pod length in millimeters.

The seventh column shows the relative pod color with 1=light and 9=dark.

The eighth column shows the relative maturity (the number of days toedible pods).

The ninth column shows the leaf color with 1=light and 9=dark

The tenth column shows the leaf size with 1=small and 9=large

The eleventh column shows the leaf surface 1=dull and 9=glossy

TABLE 12 Characteristic Comparisons for Field Trials Plant Plant PlantPod Pod Leaf Leaf Leaf Variety LOCATION Height Width Habit Length ColorMaturity Color Size Surface HMX 5108 Heath2 17 17 6 135 5 58 7 5 7SunPrairie1 21 19 6 150 5 59 7 4 6 SunPrairie2 18 22 5 145 5 57 7 5 718.7 19.3 5.7 143.3 5.0 58.0 7.0 4.7 6.7 Hystyle Heath2 15 16 6 130 4 567 5 7 SunPrairie1 19 21 5 150 4 60 7 5 7 SunPrairie2 19 23 5 140 5 57 75 7 17.7 20.0 5.3 140.0 4.3 57.7 7.0 5.0 7.0

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodthere from as modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussedabove, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications,permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. It is thereforeintended that the following appended claims and claims hereafterintroduced are interpreted to include all such modifications,permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their truespirit and scope.

1. A seed of bean cultivar designated HMX5106, wherein a representative sample of seed of said cultivar has been deposited under NCIMB No. ______.
 2. A bean plant, or a part thereof, produced by growing the seed of claim
 1. 3. A bean plant, or a part thereof, having all the physiological and morphological characteristics of bean cultivar HMX5106 listed in Table
 3. 4. A bean plant, or a part thereof, having the physiological and morphological characteristics of bean cultivar HMX5106, wherein a representative sample of seed of said cultivar has been deposited under NCIMB No. ______.
 5. A tissue culture of regenerable cells produced from the plant of claim 2 wherein said cells of the tissue culture are produced from a plant part selected from the group consisting of embryos, meristematic cells, leaves, pollen, root, root tips, stems, anther, pistils, pods, flowers, and seeds.
 6. A bean plant regenerated from the tissue culture of claim 5, said plant having the morphological and physiological characteristics of bean cultivar HMX5106, wherein a representative sample of seed has been deposited under NCIMB No. ______.
 7. A method for producing a bean seed comprising crossing a first parent bean plant with a second parent bean plant and harvesting the resultant hybrid bean seed, wherein said first parent bean plant or second parent bean plant is the bean plant of claim
 2. 8. A hybrid bean seed produced by the method of claim
 7. 9. A method for producing an herbicide resistant bean plant comprising transforming the bean plant of claim 2 with a transgene that confers herbicide resistance to an herbicide selected from the group consisting of imidazolinone, sulfonylurea, glyphosate, glufosinate, L-phosphinothricin, triazine, and benzonitrile.
 10. An herbicide resistant bean plant, or a part thereof, produced by the method of claim
 9. 11. A method for producing an insect resistant bean plant comprising transforming the bean plant of claim 2 with a transgene that confers insect resistance.
 12. An insect resistant bean plant, or a part thereof, produced by the method of claim
 11. 13. A method for producing a disease resistant bean plant comprising transforming the bean plant of claim 2 with a transgene that confers disease resistance.
 14. A disease resistant bean plant, or a part thereof, produced by the method of claim
 13. 15. A method of introducing a desired trait into bean cultivar HMX5106, comprising: (a) crossing a bean cultivar HMX5106 plant grown from bean cultivar-HMX5106 seed, wherein a representative sample of seed has been deposited under NCIMB No. ______, with another bean plant that comprises a desired trait to produce F1 progeny plants, wherein the desired trait is selected from the group consisting of insect resistance, disease resistance, water stress tolerance, heat tolerance, improved shelf life delayed shelf life, and improved nutritional quality; (b) selecting one or more progeny plants that have the desired trait to produce selected progeny plants; (c) crossing the selected progeny plants with the bean cultivar HMX5106 plant to produce backcross progeny plants; (d) selecting for backcross progeny plants that have the desired trait and physiological and morphological characteristics of bean cultivar HMX5106 listed in Table 4 to produce selected backcross progeny plants; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) three or more times in succession to produce selected fourth or higher backcross progeny plants that comprise the desired trait and the physiological and morphological characteristics of bean cultivar HMX5106 listed in Table
 4. 16. A bean plant produced by the method of claim 15, wherein the plant has the desired trait and the physiological and morphological characteristics of bean cultivar HMX5106 listed in Table
 4. 17. A method for producing bean cultivar HMX5106 seed comprising crossing a first parent bean plant with a second parent bean plant and harvesting the resultant bean seed, wherein both said first and second bean plants are the bean plant of claim
 4. 18. The bean plant of claim 16, wherein the desired trait is herbicide resistance and the resistance is conferred to an herbicide selected from the group consisting of imidazolinone, sulfonylurea, glyphosate, glufosinate, L-phosphinothricin, triazine, and benzonitrile.
 19. The bean plant of claim 16, wherein the desired trait is insect resistance and the insect resistance is conferred by a transgene encoding a Bacillus thuringiensis endotoxin.
 20. The bean plant of claim 16, wherein the desired trait is selected from the group consisting of insect resistance, disease resistance, water stress tolerance, heat tolerance, improved shelf life, and improved nutritional quality.
 21. A bean pod, produced by growing the plant of claim
 4. 